Perfumed Words

Fresh rose, photo by Janie Joles

Fresh rose, photo by Janie Joles

Decoding the Enigmatic Language of Flowers

By Allegra Bick-Maurischat

“...There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.

Pray you, love, remember. 

And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts . . .

There’s fennel for you, and columbines

-Ophelia (Act 4, Scene 5), Hamlet by William Shakespeare

The lost art of floriography holds a certain fascination for a modern-day existence. Once a form of clandestine communication, the language of flowers was a silent dialogue — an unspoken way to converse with friends, lovers, or would-be-suitors that harkens back to a bygone age that truly puts the ubiquity of emojis to shame. Forget text messaging; we think there’s just something so oddly enchanting about conveying one’s thoughts and desires through a cleverly selected arrangement of blooms...

From Mediterranean pottery dating back to the Trojan Age to the Edwardian paintings of John Singer Sargent, flower and plant symbolism have been used to imbue visual objects for centuries. Myriad forms of cultural expression including visual art, music, and the written word are filled with these symbologies, and ritual assignations to the botanical in both linguistic and artistic practice have been found all over the world from Japan to Denmark, Greece and Uganda. Shakespeare’s writing is veritably overflowing with references to various botanicals, their uses, and hidden meanings. Cowslips, pansies and bluebells appear in his beloved A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for example, as a literary device to indicate the presence and magic of faeries throughout the play.

Yet it wasn’t until the Victorian times that the established art of floriography was established as a formal, albeit coded, means of communication. 

 
Photo Credit, Birmingham Museums

Photo Credit, Birmingham Museums

Floriography in the Victorian Age

In an age defined by strict social protocols and adherence to decorum, especially when concerning courtship, gifts of blooms were often used to send coded messages and expressions of feeling deemed inappropriate to speak aloud. “Talking bouquets", as they came to be called, were small floral arrangements which, when gifted, could be worn or carried as a fashion accessory by the recipient in a coy acknowledgement of the message given.  

Learning, deciphering, and utilizing floral symbolism through gifts of bouquets was a popular —and quite necessary — pastime and practice during the Victorian age. In fact, it was quite common for most homes to possess, right alongside the Bible, a guidebook or dictionary claiming to decode this enigmatic “language” of flowers. Each unique color and singular type of blossom held a meaning to be considered and deciphered by both givers and receivers. A rose is a rose, you say? Think again! In Victorian England, there were over 20 different meanings assigned to the many colors and varieties of everyone’s favorite flower. Even the presentation of a botanical gift had significance! The intentional positioning of a ribbon, the state of the bouquet itself, even, all conveyed a particular message. An upside down or wilted arrangement, for instance, quite opaquely indicated a rejection to the initial sender’s advance. 

Our Favorite Botanical Messages

For a sampling of a bygone age, (and a nudge towards life lived a little slower) try your hand at some cheekily meaningful, hand-curated floral gift-giving. Unlock this hidden language behind the lovely world of flora, and you may be encouraged —dare we say, inspired — to expand your expression of friendship and love in ways the old Victorians would have applauded. 

Here are some of our favorite Victorian-era messages, and the flowers to say them with! 

Basil  

Send someone a basil plant or some freshly clipped garden sprigs to communicate good wishes and happy thoughts.

Butterfly Weed 

Need a little space? A bouquet of butterfly weed communicates the very direct message of “let me go”! 

Camellia (Red) 

An amorous gesture for an old (or new flame), red Camellias will let someone know they’ve got a special place in your heart. 

Daisy 

Let a friend (or lover) know their secret is safe with you with this old-fashioned gesture of loyalty and innocence that says, “I’ll never tell!”

Fern 

A symbol of magic, fascination and unseen bonds between acquaintances of all kinds. 

Geranium

These red flowers were (and can still be) used to indicate stupidity, silliness and folly. Here’s hoping you’re never on the receiving end of these! 

Hyacinth (Purple)

Send a bouquet of beautiful, purple hyacinth for a heartfelt message of “I'm sorry” or  “Please forgive me.”

Rhododendron 

Used as an expression of danger or warning; send these blooms at your own risk! 

Sweet Pea

Send these lovely and fragrant little blossoms as a hostess gift, and a way to say “Thank you for a lovely time”! 

Tulip (Yellow)  

Got someone who lights up your life? Gift them with some yellow tulips, and let them know there is “sunshine in [their] smile”.

If you’re intrigued by the secret, seductive messages of flowers and want more, this list provides a credible and approachable point of entry for the most commonly used symbolic meanings of herbs, flowers and other plants. 

 Sending fresh and fragrant basil sprigs to you all! 

Daffodils on an open text, photo credit Anna Zakharova

Daffodils on an open text, photo credit Anna Zakharova

Shawn Bankston