she explains that in the Victorian-era, people used flowers to communicate coded mesages, sometimes called floriography, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken, ie. "honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love." At the back of the book, she gives a wonderful dictionary of flowers with their common and botanical names along with their meanings.
Here is an incomplete list of some of the flowers she identifies:
(for a complete list, check out the book from your local library or purchase a copy for your own library - you won't be disappointed!)
Alyssum - worth beyond beauty
Agapanthus - love letter
Baby's Breath - everlasting love
Begonia - beware/caution
Borage - courage
Carnation - I will never forget you
Celandine - joys to come
Coreopsis - always cheerful
Cosmos - joy in life
Daffodil - new beginnings
Flax - I feel your kindness
Fennel - strength
Forsythia - anticipation
Garlic - courage & strength
Hawthorne - hope
Iris (purple) - message
Iris (white) - faith/hope/wisdom/valor
Ivy - fidelity
Lily of the Valley - return of happiness
Marigold - grief
Passion Flower - faith
Rose (pink) - grace
Rose (red) - love you
Rosemary - remembrance
Verbena - pray for me
Yarrow - health/healing/cure for a broken heart
Zinna - I mourn your absence
This got me to thinking: What do the flowers that I planted in my garden say about me? Should I plant with more purpose?
