

(Please note: Our chart below reflects mainly Victorian flower language.)Ĭlick on linked plant names for a photo and growing guide. See our chart below for meanings of herbs, flowers, and other plants. The meanings and traditions associated with flowers have certainly changed over time, and different cultures assign varying ideas to the same species, but the fascination with “perfumed words” persists just the same. More examples of plants and their associated human qualities during the Victorian era include bluebells and kindness, peonies and bashfulness, rosemary and remembrance, and tulips and passion. And, of course, a wilted bouquet delivered an obvious message! How the ribbon was tied said something: Tied to the left, the flowers’ symbolism applied to the giver, whereas tied to the right, the sentiment was in reference to the recipient. If the flowers were given upside down, then the conveyed idea was the opposite of what was traditionally meant. How flowers were presented and in what condition was important.

Similarly, if given a rose declaring “devotion” or an apple blossom showing “preference,” one might return to the suitor a yellow carnation to express “disdain.” Plants could also express aversive feelings, such as the “conceit” of pomegranate or the “bitterness” of aloe. A “yes” answer came in the form of flowers handed over with the right hand if the left hand was used, the answer was “no.” Nearly all Victorian homes had, alongside the Bible, guidebooks for deciphering the “language,” although definitions shifted depending on the source.įollowing the protocol of Victorian-era etiquette, flowers were primarily used to deliver messages that couldn’t be spoken aloud. In a sort of silent dialogue, flowers could be used to answer “yes” or “no” questions. Learning the special symbolism of flowers became a popular pastime during the 1800s.
