The origin of this information
Many years ago I inherited an old old dictionary from my grandmother. It is very old and contains many interesting facts relevant to the years it was published. As we know only too well, time moves on and things change.
Going back to something like this dictionary makes for interesting reading. Many words found in it are no longer in active use in our language today. Some words are still used but their meaning has changed quite dramatically.
On this page is part of the information found in this interesting book pertaining to the
Language of the Flowers. Remember as you read this that the era was circa 1930's and many things have changed since then. It is unlikely that a person given flowers with a specific meaning would actually recognise that meaning any more unless it was made obvious via a note or some other clear hint.
Who knows the meanings now?
I was told by my mother that few people fully understood the meaning that flowers conveyed even during her days. Although at the time they still knew the meaning of certain flowers, many of the more unusual meanings were not recognised.
So if you would like to let your flowers do the talking for you in a message then be sure that your intended party is educated in the language of flowers so they can then decipher the meaning you intended.
Using the Language of Flowers is almost a forgotten art, except for our oldest generations. I am sure if you gave a meaningful flower or set of flowers to your grandmother or grandfather then the meaning would not be lost on them. This would be your best chance. So why not give it a go. I am certain they would be most grateful for your most thoughtful gesture.
The rules for creating messages
A cluster of flowers can be made to express and sentiment if care is taken in the selection.
If a flower is offered reversed, its original signification is contradicted, and the oppostie implied.
A rosebud without thorns, but keeping leaves, conveys the sentiment,
"I fear no longer; I hope." Stripped of leaves and thorns, it signifies,
"There is nothing to hope or fear."
A full-blown rose, placed over two buds, signifies
"Secrecy."
"Yes" is implied by touching the flower to the lips;
"No," by pinching off a petal and casting it away.
"I am" is expressed by a laurel leaf twined around the bouquet;
"I have," by an ivy leaf folded together;
"I offer you," by a leaf of Virginia creeper.
Meanings of single flowers
| Flower |
Colour |
Meaning |
| Arbor Vitae |
|
Unchanging friendship |
| Camelia |
White |
Loveliness |
| Candy-tuft |
|
Indifference |
| Carnation |
White |
Disdain |
| China Aster |
|
Variety |
| Clover |
Four-Leaf |
Be mine |
| Clover |
White |
Think of me |
| Clover |
Red |
Industry |
| Columbine |
|
Folly |
| Daisy |
|
Innocence |
| Daisy |
Coloured |
Beauty |
| Dead Leaves |
|
Sadness |
| Deadly Nightshade |
|
Falsehood |
| Fern |
|
Fascination |
| Forget-me-not |
|
Do not forget me |
| Fuchsia |
Scarlet |
Taste |
| Geranium |
Horseshoe |
Stupidity |
| Geranium |
Rose |
Preference |
| Geranium |
Scarlet |
Consolation |
| Golden Rod |
|
Be cautious |
| Heliotrope |
|
Devotion |
| Hyacinth |
White |
Loveliness |
| Hyacinth |
Purple |
Sorrow |
| Ivy |
|
Friendship |
| Lily |
Day |
Coquetry (seek to attract attention/admiration; flirt) |
| Lily |
Water |
Purity of heart |
| Lily |
White |
Sweetness |
| Lily |
Yellow |
Gayety (lively; merry; full of spirits; cheerful) |
| Lily of the Valley |
|
Unconscious sweetness |
| Mignonette |
|
Your qualities surpass your charms |
| Monkshead |
|
Danger is near |
| Myrtle |
|
Love |
| Oak |
|
Hospitality |
| Any Blossom |
Orange |
Chastity |
| Pansy |
|
Thoughts |
| Passion Flower |
|
Faith |
| Primrose |
|
Inconsistency |
| Rose |
|
Love |
| Rose |
Damask |
Beauty ever new |
| Rose |
White |
I am worthy of you |
| Rose |
Yellow |
Jealousy |
| Rosebud |
Moss |
Confession of Love |
| Smilax |
|
Constancy |
| Straw |
|
Agreement |
| Straw |
Broken |
Broken agreement |
| Sweet Pea |
|
Depart |
| Thistle |
|
Sternness |
| Tuberose |
|
Dangerous pleasures |
| Verbena |
|
Pray for me |
| White Jasmine |
|
Amiability |
| Witch Hazel |
|
A spell |
Meaning of flowers in combinations
| Moss Rosebud, Myrtle |
A confession of love |
| Mignonette, Coloured Daisy |
Your qualities surpass your charms of beauty |
| Lily of the Vally, Ferns |
Your unconscious sweetness |
| Yellow Rose, Broken Straw, Ivy |
Your jealousy has broken our friendship |
| Scarlet Geranium, Passion Flower, Purple Hyacinth, Arbor Vitae |
I trust you will find consolation, through faith, in your sorrow; be assured of my unchanging friendship |
| Columbine, Day Lily, Broken Straw, Witch Hazel, Coloured Daisy |
Your folly and coquetry have broken the spell of your beauty |
| White Pink, Canary Grass, Laurel |
Your talent and perseverance will win you glory |
| Golden-rod, Monkshead, Sweet Pea, Forget-me-not |
Be cautious; danger is near; I depart soon; forget-me-not |