Long before emojis, text messages, and social media, flowers were the messengers of the heart. In Victorian England, when strict social etiquette made it difficult – and sometimes scandalous – to openly express one’s feelings, people turned to the secretive art of floriography - the language of flowers.
But the roots of this floral storytelling reach much further back in history.
A Mythical Beginning
Flowers have whispered stories to us for centuries. In Greek and Roman mythology, many blooms were believed to have sprung from the tears or blood of the gods, each one carrying a tale of love, loss, or transformation. The crimson anemone is said to have grown where the mortal Adonis fell, his blood mixing with Aphrodite’s tears as she mourned his death. Narcissus flowers – often associated with daffodils and jonquils – bloomed where a self-absorbed youth wasted away, unable to tear himself from his own reflection. Even the bright, cheerful sunflower has a bittersweet origin in Greek and Roman mythology: it was once Clytie, a lovesick nymph who pined for the sun god Helios until she was transformed into a sunflower, forever turning her face toward him in eternal, unrequited love.
These ancient tales gave flowers their earliest symbolic meanings – but it was the Victorians who turned this symbolism into a finely tuned art form.
Flower Dictionaries
Floriography is thought to have been introduced to England from Turkey by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an English aristocrat, poet, and early feminist. In 1717, she accompanied her husband, the British ambassador, to Turkey, and wrote vivid letters home describing the Eastern customs she observed. Published in 1763, her letters detailed a fascinating rhyming mnemonic system called sélam, which paired everyday objects with sentiments and emotions that were revealed through rhymes.
She wrote: "There is no colour, no flower, no weed, no fruit, herb, pebble, or feather that has not a verse belonging to it, and you may quarrel, reproach, or send letters of passion, friendship, or civility, or even of news, without even inking your fingers."
While sélam sparked European curiosity, the first known flower dictionary was Le Langage des Fleurs, published in Paris in 1818 by Mme. Louise Cortambert, writing under the pseudonym Charlotte de Latour. Where she sourced her interpretations remains a mystery, but her book ignited a cultural phenomenon, and soon floriography bloomed across Europe.
By the 1820s, the trend had reached England with books like Floral Emblems (1825) by British botanist Henry Phillips. Soon after, the language of flowers became wildly popular across Britain, thanks in part to Robert Tyas’ bestselling The Sentiment of Flowers (1836), which helped standardise the practice – at least in theory.
In reality, not all flower dictionaries agreed. The meaning of a hydrangea could shift from vanity to gratitude depending on which book you owned. A carefully arranged bouquet could accidentally deliver the wrong message if the recipient was using a different floral ‘translator.’ To make things even more complicated, there was a grammar to floriography. If you presented the bouquet upside down, the message was reversed. If a bouquet or single bloom was handed over with the right hand, the message was “yes”, but if offered with the left hand, it implied “no”.
This delicate language became a form of silent communication, where entire conversations could bloom from the petals.
Flowers and Their Meanings
Here are some of the secret messages your flowers might carry:
Hydrangea: When hydrangeas first arrived in Europe in 1788, their changing colours and high water demands led to associations with vanity and boastfulness. Today, they are more commonly linked with sincerity, heartfelt thanks, and the ability to adapt.
Peony: Peonies have long symbolised love and happy marriages, but their lush, full blooms also carried a Victorian message of bashfulness – a subtle way to suggest shyness or reserved affection.
Sunflower: With their faces forever turned toward the sun, sunflowers became symbols of steadfast loyalty, joy, and warmth. They often conveyed long-lasting affection and a sunny, optimistic disposition.
Viola: Violas were sometimes pressed between pages or tucked into love letters as tokens of enduring love and memory. Known as ‘heartsease,’ they promised quiet comfort and sincere emotion, and often meant: "you occupy my thoughts".
Iris: Irises were messengers of noble thoughts and good news, often used to signal faith, wisdom, and bravery. Their elegant form and rich colours made them favourites in bouquets of admiration or support.
Orchid: Orchids symbolised exotic beauty, luxury, and rare refinement. In some circles, they also hinted at dangerous desire and seduction, particularly when gifted in certain colours.
Tulip: Tulips were famously linked to tulipmania, the world’s first major financial bubble, but in floriography, they became tokens of true love, new beginnings and perfect beauty. Each colour told a different story – red for true love, yellow for cheerfulness, and purple for royalty.
Rose: Roses were a floral language all on their own, with each colour carrying its own nuance – red for passionate love, pink for gratitude and admiration, white for purity, innocence, and new beginnings, and yellow for friendship, joy and sometimes jealousy. The phrase “sub rosa” (under the rose) also comes from ancient times, symbolising secrecy or confidentiality.
Forget-Me-Not: Forget-me-nots were small but significant. They sent a tender message: you are not forgotten. They were often exchanged between lovers or worn as symbols of eternal memory.
Daisy: The name ‘daisy’ comes from the Old English dæges-eage, meaning ‘day’s eye’ – a nod to the flower’s habit of closing its petals at night and opening them with the morning sun. The daisy’s simple, cheerful bloom symbolised childlike joy and honesty. In Victorian times, gifting daisies could suggest a sweet, unpretentious affection or the start of something new.
Daffodil: Daffodils, among the first flowers of spring, were natural symbols of renewal and fresh starts. They also carried a subtle warning – in some interpretations, they could represent unreciprocated love or vanity.
So next time you’re painting flowers with us, remember – every brushstroke carries a story. With each petal, you’re reviving an ancient language, a quiet conversation passed down through myth, poetry, and secret glances. Who knows? The story your flowers tell might be one of joy, hope, or a love yet to bloom!
