The secret meanings and symbolism of beautiful flowers historically and today

Today when people give and receive flowers, whether they are picking a garden posy for a friend’s windowsill, or actually going so far as sending flowers abroad, the main considerations we generally make are attractiveness and price.  If the recipient is fond of a particular flower, we might make an effort to pick that type, but we know that most everyone appreciates beautiful flowers.  However, it has not always been so simple!  Throughout history, and in different cultures, but particularly during the reign of Queen Victoria of England (the 1837-1901 era known as the Victorian Era), choice of flowers for a recipient would have conveyed secret meanings as complex as love itself.  This practice even has a name: “floriography”!

Remnants of this tradition remain, however, as with many trends which had their heyday somewhere in the distant past.  Who can resist a bunch of simple red roses, when saying “I love you”?  This is the classic “I love you” flower… but in Victorian times it was not to be confused with the deep red rose which carried the meaning of “bashful”, dark crimson which meant “mourning”, or burgundy (“unconscious beauty”)…!

We today may find this flower language fussy and complicated, but during the Era, floriography dictionaries were produced to help budding floriographers communicate their heartfelt emotions.  Of course, it might have produced incredible confusion had the giver and the receiver read two different versions of the dictionary!

At funerals today, for instance, the beautiful flowers lilies are commonly displayed and given. A lily is generally interpreted to mean “innocence” and in Christian symbolism this is to honour the innocence which has been restored to a person’s soul after death.  Also, the white stargazer lily has been been a symbol of sympathy.

Not all flower meanings are about love or even about serious events, either.  During the Victorian Era, for instance, flowers were used everywhere.  Women wore them in their hair; pinned them to bosoms and affixed them to the tiers of their flounces and skirts, threaded them into men’s lapels; draped them around the backs of chairs and set them on tables; adorned table settings and dining rooms with garlands; and dried or pressed them to add them to writing stationery and preserved arrangements.
Because historically, it was not so easy for people to say what was on their minds, this language of flowers quickly flourished as an acceptable way for people to

communicate with each other.  With the careful use of beautiful flowers, lovers were able to woo, entertain, encourage, discourage, declare adoration, reject, or even make the Victorian equivalent of suggestive remarks!

Friends, especially female friends, were able to give each other messages of sisterly affection, comfort, merriment, or even provocation.  For instance, giving the flower verbena might have meant “pray for me”; artimesia meant “don’t be discouraged”, and believe it or not, turnip meant “charity”!  Zinnias conveyed the remembrance of an absent friend, the pussy willow stood for motherhood, love-in-a-mist meant “you puzzle me”, and an orange lily expressed a strong passion – whether a happy one or a hateful one!
The Japanese also have an ancient flower language which is called hanakotoba.  Hanakotoba still makes its appearance in popular culture today, including in anime and television.  There is also a Turkish method of communication called “Salem”, or the language of objects, with which flowers and other objects can be used to give a message without the need for literacy.  When we send beautiful flowers today, especially when we send flowers abroad, it is nice to go that extra mile to make sure that the message you are trying to convey is fully realised in your thoughtful gift.  So, when obtaining or buying beautiful flowers, or when sending flowers abroad, why not check out the hidden or secret meanings of flowers, and tie your offering in with your most heartfelt meanings?