The Romance of Flowers
"History has it, that the first mention of the language- of-flowers custom was made by the most colourful Englishwoman of her time, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Lady Montagu was writing home from Constantinople in 1717 and her letters were later published in 1763 after her death.
"Language of flowers dictionaries which had their first popularity in Paris, were subsequently published in English with equal success. *Le Langage des Fleurs* by Mme. Charlotte de la Tour was the first flower dictionary, published in Paris in 1818. The great delight of the English in these books began in the day of George IV and continued through the early years of Queen Victoria's reign.
"The Americans were slower to become enthusiastic and started to take an interest somewhat later. 'Le Langage des Fleurs' ran to eighteen editions and Mme. Charlotte de la Tour was a toast of Paris society. It would have been to her displeasure that her book was pirated in America and Spain, although it proved flowers speak an international language.
"In the era of Victorian manners and morals with the accent on gentility, shy Victorians used language-of- flowers books to express their sentiments when they were loath to let words pass their lips.
"One Victorian writer declared that with the help of a flower language book, a courting couple walking decorously in the garden could present flowers to each other and carry on a conversation of considerable wit, compliments and flirtation banter."
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from the alt.romance FAQ http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~fischer/alt.romance/flowers.html
Flowers and their meaning
White rosebud - heart ignorant of love
Crocus - abuse not
Rhubarb - advice
Indian jasmine - attachment
Holly - Am I forgotten
Deep red carnation - Alas! for my poor heart
Deep red rose - bashful shame
Full red rose - beauty
Burgundy rose - unconscious beauty
Unique rose - call me not beautiful
Turnip - charity
Chrysanthemum - cheerfulness in old age
Buttercup - childishness
Great yellow daffodil - chivalry
Lettuce - coldheartedness
Moss rosebud - confession of love
Red poppy - consolation
Red tulip - declaration of love
yellow sweetbrier or yellow rose - decrease of love
Mistletoe - difficulties, I surmount
Yellow carnation - rue, distain
Thornless rose - early attachment
Anemone - expectation
Scarlet poppy - extravagance, fantastic
Blue violet - faithfulness
Purple lilac - first emotions of love
Forget-me-not - forget me not
Damask rose - freshness
White rose - I am worthy of you
Peach blossom - I am your captive
Iris - I have a message for you
White daisy - innocence
yellow rose - jealousy
dandelion - love's oracle
Lotus flower - estranged love
Ivy - marriage
Provence rose - my heart is in flames
yellow iris - passion
Dog rose - pleasure and pain
Christmas rose - relieve my anxiety
Filbert - reconciliation
Spanish jasmine - sensuality
Peony - shame
White poppy - sleep
yellow chrysanthemum - slighted love
Amaryllis - splendid beauty
Honeyflower - sweet and secret love
Pansy - thoughts
Zinnia - thoughts of absent friends
White and red rose together - unity
Parsley - useful knowledge
Pink carnation - woman's love
lady slipper - win me
Marigold - vulgar minded
Rosemary - your presence revives me
Ice plant - your looks freeze me
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From: From:
The Language of Flowers.
Flowers may be combined and arranged so as to express even
the nicest shades of sentiment.
If a flower is offered "reversed", its direct
signification is likewise reversed, so that the flower now
means the opposite.
A rosebud divested of its thorns, but retaining its
leaves, convays 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 given 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.
COMBINATIONS.
Moss Rosebud and Myrtle.
A confession of love.
Mignonette and Coloured Daisy.
Your qualities surpass your charms of beauty.
Lily of the Valley and Ferns.
Your unconscious sweetness has fascinated me.
Yellow Rose, Broken Straw and Ivy.
Your jealousy has broken our friendship.
Scarlet Geranium, Passion Flower, Purple Hyacinth, and
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 and
Coloured Daisy.
Your folly and coquetry have broken the spell of your
beauty.
White Pink, Canary Grass and Laurel.
Your talent and perseverance will win you glory.
Golden-rod, Monkshead, Sweet Pea and Forget-me-not.
Be cautious; danger is near; I depart soon; forget me
not.
ARBOR VITAE - Unchanging friendship.
CAMELIA, WHITE. - Loveliness.
CANDY-TUFF. - Indifference.
CARNATION, DEEP RED. - Alas! for my poor heart.
CARNATION, WHITE. - Disdain.
CHINA-ASTER. - Variety.
CLOVER, FOUR-LEAF. - Be mine.
CLOVER, WHITE. - Think of me.
CLOVER, RED. - Industry.
COLUMBINE. - Folly.
COLUMBINE, PURPLE. - Resolved to win.
DAISY. - Innocence.
DEAD LEAVES. - Sadness.
DEADLY NIGHTSHADE. - Falsehood.
FERN. - Fascination.
FORGET-ME-NOT. - True love. Forget me not.
FUCHSIA, SCARLET. - Taste.
GERANIUM, SCARLET. - Consolation.
GERANIUM, ROSE. - Preference.
GOLDEN-ROD. - Be cautious.
HELIOTROPE. - Devotion.
HONEY-FLOWER. - Love, sweet and secret.
HYACINTH, WHITE. - Unobtrusive loveliness.
IVY. - Fidelity.
LADY'S SLIPPER. - Win me and wear me.
LILY, DAY. - Coquetry
LILY, WHITE. - Sweetness.
LILY, YELLOW. - Gaiety.
LILY OF THE VALLEY. - Return of happiness.
MIGNONETTE. - Your qualities surpass your charms.
MONKSHEAD. - Danger is near.
MYRTLE. - Love.
OATS. - The witching soul of music.
ORANGE BLOSSOMS. - Chastity.
PANSY. - Thoughts.
PASSION FLOWER. - Faith.
PEACH BLOSSOM. - I am your captive.
PEAR. - Affection.
PRIMROSE. - Inconstancy.
QUAKING GRASS. - Agitation.
ROSE. - Love.
ROSE, DEEP RED. - Bashful shame.
ROSE, YELLOW. - Jealousy.
ROSE, WHITE. - I am worthy of you.
ROSEBUD, MOSS. - Confession of love.
SHAMROCK. - Lightheartedness.
STRAW. - Agreement.
STRAW, BROKEN. - Broken agreement.
SWEEP PEA. - Depart.
TUBEROSE. - Dangerous pleasures.
VERBENA. - Prey for me.
WITCH HAZEL. - A spell.
Richard Kadrey (kadrey@well.com)
Mikki Halpin (filmmag@well.com)