Dating back to historical times, flowers have been used as a gesture of kindness. We usually give them to those we care for. We gift flowers to let them find out how important they are, to show appreciation, to celebrate an occasion, or even to sympathize. What we don’t know is that giving certain types of flowers, and even their colors, actually have definitions of their own.
Flowers have their own language
During medieval and Renaissance times, flowers were often given moral meanings. This can be widely seen in art where saints are often presented with flowers that represent or symbolize their virtues. “Some of the Christian symbols for Virginity or Chastity are the white rose, the myrtle, a vessel or vase, the lily, and the unicorn,” according to Liana DeGirolami Cheney in an edition of Sixteenth Century Journal.
Back in the Victorian era, flowers began to create or add emotion. The language of flowers, sometimes referred to as floriography, began being used as a discreet form of communication. In the’th century, sending messages in code using flowers became popular. Based on Persian Salaam, a Turkish secret language of flowers, a coded flower arrangement was sent to profess feelings of attraction, even love.
A book entirely about flower interpretations by Madame Charlotte de la Tour, “Le Language des Fleurs,” dates back to’19. A similar book, “Language of Flowers” by Kate Greenaway, was written in’84 and is still being used nowadays.
Japan also has a language of flowers, which they call “Hanakotoba.” Greeting cards made in Japan use the Hanakotoba code, and still apply the flower-language in popular culture such as in films and cartoons, like the anime series “Wei Kreuz.”
Favorite Flower Meanings
Buy or borrow a flower dictionary to see the several meanings and interpretations of flowers. Some of the most well-known flowers and their meanings are listed below:
* Buttercup – riches * Pink carnations – a woman’s love * Chrysanthemum – love in general * Forget-me-not – true love * Lavender – devotion, distrust * Purple lilac – first emotion of love * White lily – purity * Peach blossom- long-life * Red rose – true love * Sunflower – pure and lofty thoughts * Yellow tulip – hopeless love
Find out the the best Singapore Flower Shop and discover the beautiful flower Bouquets.
