The Victorian Language of Flowers 🌺
Instead of dance, it's Floriography
Hi readers!
Welcome to the second edition of Sealing Wax, Cabbages, and Kings — where we “talk of many things” and go where the learning adventure takes us!
This week — let us discover the Secret Language of Flowers.
Floriography – a fancy word for “the language of flowers” – is a way to communicate using commonly understood meanings for different flowers. The message is conveyed through a single stem or a carefully-selected arrangement.
While floriography has a long history – meanings have been ascribed to various plants for thousands of years – it became trendy in the English-speaking world during the Victorian period. Smart Victorian ladies and gents sent one another silent messages via nosegay and boutonniere.
Who knew that so much could be said with a seemingly simple bouquet of flowers?
The Victorian idea of floriography has its origins in 18th century Constantinople. The wife of Britain’s ambassador to Turkey – feminist poet Lady Mary Wortley Montagu – was fascinated by local flower customs.
Her letters to friends in Britain during 1716 and 1717 describe a secret flower language – or selam – used by harem women to covertly communicate without the knowledge of their guards.
In 1763, Montagu’s letters were published – and the flower language trend began to take hold among the educated classes.
French publishers started publishing flower language dictionaries in 1810, collecting knowledge of flower lore into one place.1
The definitive language of flowers dictionary – Le Language des Fleurs by Louise Cotembert – was published in 1819. It was translated – and plagiarized – widely and became a bestseller in Europe and North America.
An English clergyman and botany writer, Robert Tyas, wrote what is considered the English language equivalent of Le Language des Fleurs. In 1836, Tyas’ Sentiment of Flowers was published – and one year later, Queen Victoria ascended to the throne.
Victoria’s accession came when interest in botany was on the rise – and social mores regarding the expression of emotion were incredibly strict.
The language of flowers became a way to send secret messages that could not be expressed with words.
The Victorians created different types of bouquets – known as nosegays and “tussie-mussies” – to send messages to one another. Nosegays were fragrant and meant to be held near the nose, while tussie-mussies were made of herbs and a single central flower wrapped in lace.
The flowers in these small bouquets were carefully selected to send a message to the recipient. And the way that the bouquet was held – upright and close to the heart declared happiness and acceptance, downward-facing was a rejection – sent a message to the giver.
Flowers also sent messages with their color. Roses symbolized devotion. And red roses symbolized passionate devotion – romantic love. One of the Victorian flower messages that continues into modern times.
While red flowers symbolize passion, yellow flowers represent happiness and friendship.
Pink flowers symbolize grace and joy, while white flowers represent purity and innocence.
Purple flowers symbolize the whimsy and volatility of emotion, success, and royalty.
Tulips are another symbol of passion, bluebells represent kindness, and rhododendron symbolizes danger. A buttercup represents the innocence of childhood.
Often, Victorians sent complex messages through the various flowers chosen for a floral arrangement – and it was up to the recipient to pull out their copy of Sentiment of Flowers to interpret the message.
Readers of 19th-century literature – like the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen – should take notice of the floriography in their favorite novels. You'll gain an appreciation of the detailed flower symbolism these authors put into their work -- sending messages to readers about the characters' feelings, personalities, and motivations.
There were at least 98 different floriography guides circulating in the United States between 1827 and 1923. After mass urbanization in the late 19th and early 20th century, artists and writers began using cities as inspiration rather than the natural world. The interest in the secret language of flowers began to decline.
However, the Victorian language of flowers continues to pop up in our modern-day – beyond red roses on Valentine’s day.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, used the secret language of flowers to design her wedding bouquet. Her bouquet was a collection of lily of the valley – symbolizing trust and happiness – sweet william representing gallantry2 – and myrtle symbolizing love and marriage.
The springs of myrtle were cut from Queen Victoria’s own plant on the Isle of Wight – continuing a tradition of cuttings from this specific plant being used in royal wedding bouquets.
Did you know that, like birthstones, each month has a birth flower in floriography?
Every monthly flower also has a unique meaning.
January — Carnation — Love, distinction
February — Violet — Wisdom, hope, virtue, modesty, humility
March — Daffodil — Hope, loyalty, rebirth
April — Daisy — Youth, purity, loyalty, love
May — Lily of the Valley — Happiness, sweetness
June — Rose — Love, appreciation
July — Larkspur Delphinium — Strong bond of love - positivity, dignity, levity
August — Gladiolus — Strength, integrity, victory
September — Aster — Wisdom, faith, courage
October — Marigold — Creativity, courage, passion
November — Chrysanthemum — Friendship, joy, positivity
December — Holly — Happiness, hope, renewal
Birth flowers are only a small part of Victorian floriography. This list of common flowers and their meanings in the Victorian flower language illustrates its complexity – with as much variety as you can find in a botanical garden.
Apple blossom — Preference
Begonia — Beware
Belladonna — Silence
Black-eyed Susan — Justice
Bluebell — Humility
Calla Lily — Beauty
Chamomile — Patience in adversity
Edelweiss — Courage, devotion
Fern — Magic, fascination, secret bonds of love
Geranium — Folly, stupidity
Honeysuckle — Bonds of love
Hyacinth — Sports, game, play
Hyssop — Sacrifice, cleanliness
Iris — Faith, trust, wisdom, hope, valor
Ivy — Affection, friendship, fidelity
Lavender — Distrust
Lemon Balm — Sympathy
Lilac — Joy of youth
Magnolia — Nobility, love of nature
Poppy — Consolation
Sweet Pea — Blissful pleasures, goodbye, thank you
Willow — Sadness
Zinnia — Missing an absent friend, lasting affection
This is by no means a comprehensive list of the secret Victorian language of flowers. Find a comprehensive online Victorian floriography list here.
Or pick up your own copy of Sentiment of Flowers for a deep dive into the Victorian language of flowers.
You can also read Sentiment of Flowers online thanks to Cornell’s digital library.
That’s it for this edition, readers! I think this flower language is fascinating — a subtle skill that we need more of in this crazy word. Maybe we should all try our hand in a “communique by nosegay” this spring.
Dear subscribers, I would send you a bouquet with sweet pea and bluebell.
Next up — I’ll regale you with some cemetery history — of the rural garden kind.
Until then, happy learning!
Of course they did. Have you ever wondered why everything in cooking and restaurants has a French name? They love to gather knowledge, write it down, categorize and label it.
And probably her husband, who are we kidding?
I love this review!