Tag Archives: flowers

The Language of Flowers

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“There is a language, little known,


Lovers claim it as their own,

It’s symbols smile upon the land,


Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand;


And in their silent beauty speak,


Of life and joy to those who seek

For Love Divine and sunny hours


In the language of the flowers.”

–The Language of Flowers

London, 1875

We tend to express our sentiments in letters and gifts, but there are other ways to get a message across.   Like a pairing of wine to cheese, there’s a flower to go with whatever emotion you want to express to someone.  For example, if you want to say “you’re adorable“, you could send the guilty party a bouquet of white camellias.  Or say for instance you wanted to inform someone that “a deadly foe is near“, I bet you didn’t know that you could do so with sprigs of monkshood.  Charmed, I’m sure.  Then there are deeper feelings like “your love is reciprocated“, which may be conveyed with a bouquet ambrosia.  You see, while flowers are typically a gesture of loving and warm feelings, according to the connotations behind them, not all flowers mean well.  An arrangement of begonias for example, means “beware“.  A bouquet of cyclamen is a symbol of resignation and good bye.  You could even tell someone “I’m sorry, the answer is no” by way of striped carnations, which also denotes refusal.  You could essentially send a bouquet of oleanders and orange mock as a warning of deceit.

Since this method of communication is not very widely used, it might be wise to include the “Language of Flowers” book with your floral sentiments, so that they might decode your sophisticated memo.  There are always the classic symbols like a red carnation for admiration, and of course a romantic bouquet of roses for true love.  However, did you know that a bouquet of withered flowers means rejected love?  Or that a bundle of purple hyacinth says “I’m sorry, please forgive me“?  Flowers aren’t just pretty to look at, they also have meanings!  I would send you a sprig of viscaria to say “let’s dance!”  As convoluted as it may seem to speak botanically, why not get a little cheeky and creative with expressing your feelings?!  Here’s an idea from us to you: send flowers!  Want to ask her to elope with you?  Send her a bouquet of spider flowers!  Want to tell him you’re angry?  Send him some petunias!  Want to tell someone they’re a wonderful friend?  Go ahead and call them up, and tell them.  That’s one way to say it.  Here is another…

 

 

ACACIA BLOSSOM - Concealed Love; Beauty in Retirement; Chaste Love

ACORN - Nordic Symbol of Life and immortality

AMBROSIA - Your Love is Reciprocated

AMARYLLIS - Pride; Pastoral Poetry

ANEMONE - Forsaken

ARBUTUS- Thee Only Do I Love

ASTER - Symbol of Love: Daintiness

AZALEA - Take Care of Yourself for Me; Temperance; Fragile Passion; Chinese Symbol of Womanhood

BACHELOR BUTTON - Single Blessedness

BEGONIA - Beware

BELLS OF IRELAND - Good Luck

BITTERSWEET - Truth

BLUEBELL - Humility

BOUQUET OF WITHERED FLOWERS Rejected Love

CACTUS - Endurance

CAMELLIA  Admiration; Perfection; Good Luck, Gift to a Man

CAMELLIA  Pink - Longing for You

CAMELLIA  Red - You’re a Flame in My Heart

CAMELLIA White - You’re Adorable

CANDY TUFT - Indifference

CARNATION  General - Fascination; Divine Love

CARNATION  Pink - I’ll Never Forget You

CARNATION Purple - Capriciousness

CARNATION  Red - My Heart Aches for You; Admiration

CARNATION  Solid Colour - Yes

CARNATION  Striped - No; Refusal; Sorry I Can’t Be with You: Wish l Could Be with You

CARNATION  White - Sweet and Lovely; Innocence; Pure Love; Woman’s Good Luck Gift

CARNATION  Yellow - You Have Disappointed Me; Rejection

CATTAIL - Peace; Prosperity

CHRYSANTHEMUM  General - You’re A Wonderful Friend; Cheerfulness and Rest

CHRYSANTHEMUM  Red - I Love

CHRYSANTHEMUM  White - Truth

CHRYSANTHEMUM  Yellow - Slighted Love

COREOPSIS - Always Cheerful

CROCUS - Cheerfulness

CYCLAMEN - Resignation and Good-bye

DAFFODIL - Regard; Unrequited Love; You’re the Only One; The Sun is Always Shining When I’m with You

DAISY - Attachment, Innocence; Loyal Love; I’ll Never Tell; Purity

DANDELION - Faithfulness; Happiness

DEAD LEAVES - Sadness

EDELWEISS - Cleanliness

FERN - Magic; Fascination; Confidence and Shelter

FERN Maidenhair - Secret Bond of Love

FIR - Time

FLAX - Domestic Symbol

FORGET-ME-NOT- True Love; Memories

FORSYTHIA - Anticipation

GARDENIA - You’re Lovely: Secret Love

GARLIC - Courage; Strength

GERANIUM - Stupidity; Folly

GLADIOLUS - Give Me a Break . . . I’m Really Sincere; Flower of the Gladiators

GLOXINIA - Love at First Sight

GRASS - Submission

HEATHER   Lavender - Admiration; Solitude

HEATHER   White - Protection; Wishes will Come True

HOLLY - Defense; Domestic Happiness

HYACINTH  General - Games and Sports; Rashness: Flower Dedicated to Apollo

HYACINTH  Blue - Constancy

HYACINTH  Purple - I Am Sorry; Please Forgive Me: Sorrow

HYACINTH  Red or Pink - Play

HYACINTH  White- Loveliness; I’ll Pray for You

HYACINTH  Yellow - Jealousy

HYDRANGEA - Thank You for Understanding; Frigidity; Heartlessness

IRIS - Fleur-de-Lis, Emblem of France: Your Friendship Means So Much to Me; Faith; Hope; Wisdom and Valour; My Compliments

IVY - Wedded Love; Fidelity; Friendship; Affection

IVY SPRIG OF WHITE TENDRILS -Anxious to Please; Affection

JASMINE - Faithfulness

JONQUIL - Love Me; Affection Returned; Desire; Sympathy; Desire for Affection Returned

LARKSPUR  Pink - Fickleness

LILY  Calla - Beauty

LILY  Day - Coquetry; Chinese Emblem for Mothers

LILY  Eucharis - Maiden Charms

LILY  Orange - Hatred

LILY  Tiger - Wealth; Pride

LILY  White - Virginity; Purity; Majesty; It’s Heavenly to Be with You

LILY  Yellow - I’m Walking on Air; False and Gay

LILY-0F-THE-VALLEY - Sweetness; Tears of the Virgin Mary; Return to Happiness; Humility; You’ve Made My Life Complete

MAGNOLIA - Nobility

MARIGOLD - Cruelty: Grief Jealousy

MISTLETOE - Kiss me; Affection; To Surmount Difficulties; Sacred Plant of India; Magic Plant of the Druids

MONKSHOOD - Beware; A Deadly Foe is Near

MOSS - Maternal Love; Charity

MYRTLE - Love; Hebrew Emblem of Marriage

NARCISSUS - Egotism; Formality; Stay as Sweet as You Are

NASTURTIUM - Conquest; Victory in Battle

NETTLE - Defiance

NUTS - Stupidity

OLEANDER - Caution

ORANGE BLOSSOM - Innocence; Eternal Love; Marriage and Fruitfulness

ORANGE MOCK - Deceit

ORCHID - Love; Beauty; Refinement; Beautiful Lady; Chinese Symbol for Many Children

ORCHID  Cattleya - Mature Charm

PALM LEAVES - Victory and Success

PANSY - Messenger of love

PEONY - Shame; Gay Life; Happy Marriage

PETUNIA - Resentment; Anger; Your Presence Soothes me

PINE - Hope; Pity

POPPY  General - Eternal Sleep; Oblivion; Imagination

POPPY  Red - Pleasure

POPPY  White - Consolation

POPPY  Yellow - Wealth; Success

PRIMROSE - I Can’t Live Without You

PRIMROSE - Evening - Inconstancy

ROSE  Bridal - Happy Love

ROSE  Christmas - Tranquilize My Anxiety; Anxiety

ROSE  Coral - Desire

ROSE  Damask - Persian Ambassador of Love

ROSE  Dark Crimson - Mourning

ROSE  Dark Pink - Thankfulness

ROSE  Lavender - Enchantment

ROSE LEAF - You May Hope

ROSE  Orange - Fascination

ROSE  Pale Peach - Modesty

ROSE  Pale Pink - Grace, Joy

ROSE  Red - Love, Respect

ROSE  Single Full Bloom - I Love You; I Still Love You

ROSE  Tea - I’ll Remember; Always

ROSE Thorn less - Love at First Sight

ROSE  White - Innocence, Purity, and Secrecy

ROSE  White and Red Together - Unity White on Red Together - Flower Emblem of England

ROSE  Yellow - Joy, Friendship

ROSEBUD - Beauty and Youth; A Heart Innocent of Love

ROSEBUD  Moss - Confessions of Love

ROSEBUD  Red - Pure and Lovely

ROSEBUD  White - Girlhood

ROSES  Bouquet of Full Bloom - Gratitude

ROSES  Garland or Crown of - Reward of Merit; Crown Symbol of Superior Merit

ROSES  Musk Cluster - Charming

SMILAX - Loveliness

SNAPDRAGON - Deception; Gracious Lady

SPIDER FLOWER - Elope with Me

STEPHANOTIS - Happiness in Marriage; Desire to Travel

STOCK - Bonds of Affection; Promptness; You’ll Always Be Beautiful to Me

SWEET PEA - Good-bye; Departure; Blissful Pleasure; Thank You for a Lovely Time

TULIP  General - Perfect Lover; Fame; Flower Emblem of Holland

TULIP Red - Believe Me; Declaration of Love

TULIP Variegated - Beautiful Eyes

TULIP Yellow - There’s Sunshine in Your Smile

VIOLET- Modesty

VIOLET  Blue - Watchfulness; Faithfulness; I’ll Always Be True

VIOLET  White - Let’s Take a Chance on Happiness

VISCARIA -Will You Dance with Me?

ZINNIA  Magenta - Lasting Affection

ZINNIA  Mixed - Thinking (or in Memory) of an Absent Friend

ZINNIA  Scarlet - Constancy

ZINNIA  White - Goodness

ZINNIA  Yellow - Daily Remembrance

 

by Bernadette Lords

The Perfect Winter Remedy

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If you’re ready to crawl out of the winter slump and jump into Spring, we know just the remedy!  It’s a joy flipping through vintage Vogue Magazines, and classic advertisements for a menagerie of housewares, services and businesses.  Back in the day, cheeky, lighthearted illustrations were a sign of the times.  Designed to brighten your day, these cheery echoes of the past appealed to a certain demographic and are always fun to have around.  They’re also what we find to be a perfect winter remedy for Spring Fever!  It was most certainly another time when drawings were a primary form of advertising.  It’s astounding that in today’s media and marketing world, ad messages are aggressive for the most part; practically screaming and jumping out at us on every corner to sell, sell, sell!  With all the competition in the modern marketing industry, it seems like if you’re not sounding a trumpet from the rooftops, your ad will get lost in a sea of heads.  Well that was not the case in times of old, when ads were much less abrasive and delivered with a more gentle approach.  Sometimes simple and clean, other times colorful and elaborate, elegant illustrations were popular displays.  Retro posters, postcards, and even billboards were often hand drawn images that didn’t shout, but instead whispered to onlookers.  You will also note the adamant presence of flowers throughout!  Antique flower, perfume, and garden ads in particular, are found high and lo in beautiful sketch form.  Cigars…  Cigarettes…  anyone?