Language of flowers - Definition

Purple lilac,
symbolizing "first emotions of love"
in the language of flowers.

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. The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply passionate, romantic love; pink roses a lesser affection; white roses still suggest virtue and chastity; and yellow roses still stand for friendship or devotion--these may not be the exact translations of the Victorian sentiments, but flowers still speak to us.

Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers, which can mean either haughtiness or respect -- they were the favorite flower of St. Julie Billiart for this reason. The iris, being named for the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, still represents a message being sent. A pansy means thoughts, a daffodil fame, and a string of ivy signifies fidelity.

External links

• flowers ebook: The Flowers Personified, 1847 (http://www.earthlypursuits.com/FlwrsPer/FPtitle.htm)
• Chapter Excerpts: History of the Language of Flowers (http://www.literarycalligraphy.com/books/history.html)
• Flower Language Bibliography (http://www.spies.com/~artemis/victorianflowers.html)

Lists of flower meanings

• The Victorian Language of Flowers (http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/u/hilda/flang.html)
• The Language of Flowers (http://www.thegardener.btinternet.co.uk/flowerlanguage.html)