The Language of Flowers

As a teenager, I memorized the posters on flower shop walls. You know the ones with roses and their meanings - red roses mean love, orange roses mean fascination, pink roses mean grace, purple roses mean enchantment, and so on. But there's more to it, isn't there? Flowers speak a thousand words.

I recently finished reading the book The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It had been recommended to me by friends and clients. I admire how the story weaves both past and present narratives with beautiful meanings of flowers, and themes of love and forgiveness.

A large part of this novel depicts how Victoria Jones, the main character, creates with flowers and communicates through their meanings. Diffenbaugh bases this on Victorian-era means of communication through the use of flower meanings. "The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through tussie-mussies (small flower bouquets), an art which has a following today." {Wikipedia}

To see a complete list of flowers and their meanings go here. Please note: I found that Diffenbaugh's novel contains a more comprehensive list of flower types & their meanings based on Victorian-era floriography.

Last year, I had written a post The Hidden Meaning of Flowers, where I provide a list of some popular wedding flowers and their meanings. Also in the post, I show a bridal bouquet we had created last spring, listing the flower types and their hidden meanings.

Nowadays, it is a novel idea for couples to explore the significance of their love and relationship and to incorporate these themes into their wedding flowers. However, in The Language of Flowers, when couples visit Victoria to plan their wedding flowers, rather than discuss flowers, they begin by telling her what their relationship means to them and their wishes for it to become. These desires are the inspiration from which she selects flowers and weaves this symbolism into bouquets. This hints at a sort of mystical power that flowers have on influencing the heart and the destiny of a relationship. In an interview, Diffenbaugh describes this particular power of flowers - "The bouquets [Victoria Jones] creates for them are physical manifestations of these desires, and when customers leave her shop with flowers in their hands, they do so believing change to be imminent. In my experience, it is this belief that has the power to transform lives."

For inspiration - here are some bridal bouquets, all of which have white roses. The meaning of the white rose is a heart unacquainted with love. It can also signify silence, innocence, wistfulness, virtue, purity, secrecy, reverence and humility. I have listed the other flowers and their meanings to show how different combinations shift the symbolic expression of each bouquet.

{Calla lily {white} - purity and majesty, Ranunculus - you are radiant with charms, Freesia - lasting friendship, Hydrangea - heartfelt gratitude for being understood}

{Thyme - activity, Rosemary - remembrance, Sage - good health and long life, Marjoram - blushes}

{Dahlia - dignity, Star of Bethlehem - purity, Hypericum Berries - superstition, Thistle - misanthropy and nobility, Eucalyptus - protection}

And what a novel idea for Valentine's Day? Flowers speak a thousand words, particularly the lovely kind! What words are you wanting to send to your love this Valentine's Day? Here are some of my favourites ...

Agapanthus - a love letter

Lisianthus - appreciation

White Hyacinths - beauty

Purple Hyacinths - please forgive me

Dogwood - love undiminished by adversity

Dianthus - make haste

Fern - sincerity

Maidenhair Fern - secrecy

Heather - protection

Amaranthus {love-lies-bleeding} - hopeless but not helpless

Moss - maternal love

Myrtle - love

Potatoe vine - you are delicious

Orchids - refined beauty

Stock - you will always be beautiful to me

Tulip - declaration of love

P.S. There is also Hanakotoba {Japanese Flower Language}