Speak Using The Language Of Flowers

Posted by | Posted on 12:16 AM

By Florian Jackson

Since ancient times, flowers have been used as a motion of kindness. We usually gift them to those we care for. We gift flowers to let them find out how important they are, to show appreciation, to celebrate an occasion, or even to sympathize. What we don't know is that giving certain kinds of flowers, and even their colors, actually have definitions of their own.

Floriography: (Language Of Flowers)

During medieval & Renaissance times, flowers were often given moral meanings. This can be widely seen in art where saints are often presented with flowers that represent or symbolize their virtues. Liana DeGirolami Cheney said in an edition of Sixteenth Century Journal that "some of the Christian symbols for Virginity or Chastity are the white rose, the myrtle, a vessel or vase, the lily, and the unicorn."

During the Victorian era, flowers were used initially to create or add emotion. The language of flowers, often called floriography, began being used as a discreet form of communication. In the 18th century, sending coded messages using flowers became popular. Based on Persian Salaam, a Turkish secret language of flowers, a coded bouquet was sent to declare feelings of attraction, even love.

A book entirely about flower interpretations by Madame Charlotte de la Tour, "Le Language des Fleurs," dates back to 1819. A similar book, "Language of Flowers" by Kate Greenaway, was written in 1884 and is still being used today.

Japan also has a language of flowers, which they call "Hanakotoba." Greeting cards created in Japan follow the Hanakotoba code, and still use the flower-language in popular culture such as in movies and animation, like the anime show "Wei Kreuz."

Favorite Flower Meanings

Buy or borrow a dictionary of flowers to see the various meanings and interpretations of flowers. Some of the most well-known flowers and their significances are listed below:

Buttercup - riches Pink carnations - a woman's love Chrysanthemum - love in general Forget-me-not - true love Lavender - devotion, distrust Purple lilac - first emotion of love White lily - purity Peach blossom- long-life Red rose - true love Sunflower - pure and lofty thoughts Yellow tulip - hopeless love

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