By Madame Ja
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS
The Victorian Era (1837–1901) was one of heavily-enforced social stratification and the observance of a strict code of conduct; the suppression of thoughts, actions, and feelings was the rule of the day. Due to this deep concern for propriety at all costs, rigid self-restraint and emotional control were the path to respectability and social acceptance. Much about the way society operated at the time was dependent upon saying things that were to remain unspoken, and communicating with symbolism when a display of emotion would be considered unseemly. Thus, the “Language of Flowers” was born. [The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems, Thomas Nelson and Sons, London, 1857.] Between then and now, certain flowers have taken on additional meanings, or have shifted meanings, as culture and flower availability and popularity have changed. The following entry is but a small selection, and doesn’t even cover things like what color the flower is, how it is presented, whether or not it is has thorns, etc. To be sure, the subject of flower symbolism is deceptively vast.
Aster = patience
Baby’s Breath = modesty, sweetness, beauty
Basil = integration, discipline, might
Begonia = balance, harmony
Buttercup = self-worth, honesty, joy, youth
Cactus = manifestation of riches, beauty
Carnation = fascination, deep love, healing, love of self
Clover = luck, love, fidelity, kindness
Daffodil = power of inner beauty, clarity of thought
Dahlia = instability, higher development, self worth, dignity
Daisy = increasing awareness, creativity, inner strength
Forget-Me-Not = remembrance, fidelity
Gardenia = purity of purpose, secret love
Geranium = happiness, healing, joy, gentility
Gladiola = sincerity, honor, victory
Hibiscus = femininity, sensuality, warmth, new creation
Honeysuckle = learning from the past, clinging love, devotion
Hyacinth = overcoming of grief, gentleness, inner beauty
Iris = higher inspiration, psychic sensitivity, purity
Lavender = magic, love, protection, healing, vision
Lily = birth, divine connection, humility, devotion
Lotus = peace, spiritual enlightenment, resilience, rebirth
Marigold = fidelity, longevity, loving sacrifice
Morning Glory = breaking down of the old, spontaneity
Rose = love, strength through silence, passion
Rosemary = power, clarity of thought, sensitivity
Snapdragon = will, creative expression, grace, deception
Sunflower = opportunities, self-actualization, happiness, faith
Violet = modesty, fulfillment, psychic sensitivity, forgiveness
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