| You may not be aware, but many different flowers have specific meanings. I'm sure everyone has heard that yellow roses mean friendship and red roses mean love and passion, but it's not just colored roses that have meanings... all flowers do! In Victorian times, flowers had much more meaning than they do today. The gift of a flower or a bouquet carried more messages than a similar gift might today. Flower arrangements and certain flowers were used to send messages so as to allow people to say things that otherwise could not be spoken. Flowers were sent to express feelings such as longing, devotion and love and these meanings have evolved through the years. The meaning, or language, of flowers is referred to as floriography. I've compiled a list of the meanings of some of the most common flowers below. Go ahead and check them out... it's interesting! And... how impressed will your friends be when you bring up the topic of floriography at the next party? |
Alstroemeria - aspiring
Anemone - fragile,anticipation, expectation
Aster - contentment
Azalea - abundance, romance
Baby's Breath - festivity
Begonia - deep thoughts
Black-Eyed Susan - encouragement
Camellia - graciousness, gratitude
Carnation - pride
Pink - gratitude
Red - flashy, alas! my poor heart
Striped - refusal
White - remembrance
Yellow - cheerful
Chrysanthemum
Bronze - excitement
White - truth
Red - sharing, I love you
Yellow - secret admirer, slighted love
Cosmos - peaceful
Crocus - foresight, cheerfulness, abuse not
Daffodil - chivalry, uncertainty, unrequited love, respect
Delphinium - boldness
Daisy - innocence, loyal love, purity, faith, simplicity, I will think of it
Freesia - spirited
Forget-Me-Not - remember me forever, true love
Gardenia - joy, ecstasy
Geranium - comfort, gentility
Ginger - proud
Gladiolus - strength of character
Hibiscus - delicate beauty, rare beauty
Holly - domestic happiness, foresight
Hyacinth - sorrow, jealousy, sport, play
Hydrangea - heartlessness, perseverance, frigidness, a boaster
Iris - inspiration, message
Ivy - fidelity, dependence, marriage, friendship
Jasmine - grace, elegance
Larkspur - beautiful spirit, boldness
Lavender - distrust
Lilac - first love
Lily - purity, modesty
Calla - regal
Day - enthusiasm
Stargazer - ambition
White - purity
Orange - desire, passion
Lisianthus - calming
Magnolia - dignity, love of nature, magnificence
Marigold - desire for riches, pain, grief, trouble
Orange Blossom - fertility
Orchid - delicate beauty
Pansy - loving thoughts, think of me
Passion flower - passion, devotion
Peony - healing, anger, shame, bashfulness
Poppy - consolation, eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination
Red - pleasure
White - consolation, dreams, modern, peace
Yellow - wealth, success
Queen Anne's Lace - delicate femininity
Ranunculus - radiant, rich in attractions
Rhododendron - beware, agitation, danger
Rose - beauty, love
Pink - friendship, grace
Dark pink - gratitude
Light pink - desire, passion, youth, energy
Red - passionate love, true love
White - purity, eternal love, innocence, purity, secrecy, humility, silence
Yellow - zealous, friendship, apology, broken heart, betrayal
Blue - mystery, attaining the impossible, love at first sight
Black - death, hatred, farewell, rejuvenation, rebirth
Coral/Orange - desire, passion
Violet - love at first sight
Snapdragon - presumptuous, no, never
Statice - success
Sunflower - adoration, pure and lofty thoughts
Sweetpea - shyness, a meeting
Tulip - declaration of love, fame
Pink - caring
Purple - royalty
Red - declaration of love
White - forgiveness
Yellow - hopelessly in love
Violet - faithfulness, modesty, love
Zinnia - thoughts of absent friends
Oh, and each month has a flower too. So when you can't afford that birthstone... you can at least get the next best thing!
January - carnation
February - iris, violet
March - daffodil
April - daisy, peony
May - lily, lily of the valley
June - rose
July - delphinium
August - dahlia, gladiolus
September - aster, forget-me-not
October – marigold
November - chrysanthemum
December - poinsettia, holly, narcissus, paperwhite
If you are interested in learning more about floriography, I highly recommend you look into The Meaning of Flowers by Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field. It goes into a bit more detail regarding the meaning of each flower. Plus, the photograph for each flower is darling - makes a great coffee table book!
Well, I hope this list inspires you to make the next arrangement you send even more personal!
Have a fabulous day!
FBP
No comments:
Post a Comment