Language of Flowers from an old gardening book.

Fascinating topic. I wonder therefore if what we prefer to grow says something about our personalities I am a real romantic and my first love in flowers is the rose

Hi Drc what a really fascinating blog, when I first met my wife it was a blind date and love at first sight, but I soon found out about her likes and dislikes in flowers, I love roses and on our second date I bought her a dozen red one's and, though she graciously accepted them, told me in no uncertain terms that she really hates roses, can you imagine my dilemma when I buy such things as an anniversary card, or even a valentine card? Huh! its hopeless.:o))

Really interesting topic, Drc! I hope we get lots of discussion out of it!

Pipsqueak, I also love old fashioned roses ( but not the modern, scentless hybridised ones ...if it ain't got scent, it ain't worthy of the name in my book, I can't think why they're so popular ) but they don't grow well up here, so I've given them up as a bad job and started growing paeonies instead! I don't THINK my personality has changed, but my gardening experience has altered my perceptions.

Hullo, Bob! It's dead easy....you say to her 'Which are your favourite flowers, O love of my life?'. She tells you, then you never need worry again! It is a bit annoying, though, when every Valentine's card on the shelves has a rose on it somewhere! I'm dead impressed, though, that you buy anniversary and Valentine's cards. Could you have a word with my old man?

;-)

Good blog, Drc....
At a charity dog show this summer I bought a book called The Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway.
The rose gets a whole page to itself, with lots of meanings, depending on the colour of the petals or the type of rose.

Oh dear I'm in for a busy time if the man in my life buys me a large mixed bouquet! When our first child was born my husband bought me a bunch of freesias with a wonderful perfume. I've loved them ever since. I do agree with you Bscott about scent being so important. What a pity that so many commercial flower growers breed them without scent deliberately, I've heard because they last longer.

Actually Bscott she likes all flowers except roses, so I do have a lot of leeway, yes it is a problem on anni's and valentines but I get around it, usually there is just one with no roses on I just have to hunt harder. :o))))
We've been married 36years an I have sent her a valentines card and Anniversary card every year, never forgotten.

Orchid means Luxury: I will make life sweet for you , I have the book on the meanings of flowers. I normally end up warning men at supermarkets becareful what flowers you chose, as they have a meaning to them, so they get me to chose lol

Oh Morgana looks like I let luxury and a sweet life get away? oh well! I was only sixteen. If you see the husband of a women you dont like in the supermarket buying flowers just think what fun you could have???
Bobq no excuse for not finding romantic cards when you can go on line and make up your own. My husband never forgets my birthday or our wedding aniversary as its the day before his which is 4 days after our anniversary. We got married on the 5th of November (no jokes please). its not the gift its the thought someone has put into finding it just for me.

If orchids mean Luxury Morgana it is no wonder they always die on me LoL!!!!
Bscott you are so right that without scent they are incomplete

lol Drc you certainly did, lol about the woman if I did nt like her, I would then let him chose his own. The eye is the most laziest part of the body, and it cannot lie. he he.

Pipsqueak, what a shame, do you group them with other plants they like an atomspher which other plants give them and not let them sit in water, feed once a month and warm water they like, and spray them , they also like equal light but not direct.

Thanks Morgana I will give them a try again when I have settled in the new place

Your welcome

I have a childs book full of quirky facts about flowers.It also tells you how the flowers got their names.

Could you give an example, please, Mavis, of how a flower got its name ? Thanks. :o)

Here goes Terratoonie

Lupin

Lupin comes from the Latin lupus a wolf.It may have been given this name because people once believed that the lupins deep roots harmed the soil.
The lupin was the wicked wolf of the flower world!

Honeysuckle

Country children used to pick honeysuckle to suck the honey from its flower - and this pastime gave the plant its name.

Does that apply to the woodbine too.

Thanks, Mavis.... those are good examples :o)

Your welcome Terratoonie.

Hi Morgana the honey suckle was calledWoodbine,Caprifole.or Goatleaf all by Shakespeare! Theres a canny bit of trivia for a Saturday night,its a mine of information is this book.

Whats the book called, Mavis?

Hi Madperth its called A Childs Book of Flowers by Janet Marsh.

Thank you! Sounds great!

It is it tells you about the flower all the little rhymes connected to the flower and things to make The pictures are good as well.

Sounds really nice, Mavis!

I didn't know about honeysuckle being called Caprifole ( 'goat' in Latin, hence 'Capricorn' the sign of the goat ...and 'Goatleaf' the common name ) though I know it's older name was 'woodbine'....the fags were named after the plant because their smoke was supposed to be as fragrant as honeysuckle...yeah, right!

Lavender's an easy one...from the Latin 'Lavande' meaning to wash ( hence 'lavatory' and 'laver' ( French, from the Latin, also 'to wash' ).) It was used as a cleansing, antiseptic wash ( still is by some of us! ) by the Romans who brought it to England during the invasion...and they, of course, spoke Latin!

I know botanical Latin isn't something we're all keen on, but even a basic understanding of the Latin names for plants tells you such a lot about them and their history.

Sorry...I'm rattling on again, but it IS a fascinating ( and endless ) topic!

;-)

Not rattling, Brenda... interesting :o)

Don't encourage me, TT!!!!!

;-)
xxx

Yes, I'm encouraging you...
How about a little blog similar to your paragraph above... the ways Latin names tie up with everyday words and plant names ?

Add a couple of photos from your garden and hey presto...all done...LOL.

xxx

Yep.....you got it TT! That's something I might get on with! Take me forever, but I could make a start, I suppose....thanks for the idea!

;-)
xxx

No pressure... you could make lots of blogs... alphabetically... we could enjoy those all winter..
Could reach Z by February.......LOL. xxx

;-)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Aaarrggghhhhh! You want blood?

It'd have to be piecemeal, TT, depending on what I could manage to take photos of in the garden ( bu@@er all at this time of the year! ) But yes, I will make a start...I'm really grateful to you for the idea! It's great!
;-)
xxx

A is supposed to be for Antirrhimum, not Aaaaarrgghhhh.. ;o). xxx

If you don't have the right photos, borrow, with permission, from other GoY members, in the way I have used various wellie pictures in my latest blog...

Sounds like a plan B ! I did Latin for a couple of years at school and always remember the teacher putting it across by explaining the English derivatives. He made it interesting and I'm sure you will too ! :-)) xx

It is fascinating as I read more I came across this about the foxglove the naughty faries gave them to naughty foxes to wear on their paws so it would soften the sound so they could pinch the hens .Can you imagine the sight!I

Floriography -the language of flowers was a means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through Tussie-Mussies, an art which still has a following today.

Wow... I learn all kinds of fascinating info. on GoY.
This is a good blog Drc. :o)

Thanks Teratoonie, the language gets very complicated take the Hyacinth for example wouldnt do to have senior momments with this flower as your message!
Hyacinths in general rashness.
Hyacinth blue - Constancy.
Hyacinth purple - I'm sorry; please forgive me; sorrow
Hyacinth red or pink - Play?
Hyacinth white - Loveliness, I'll pray for you.
Hyacinth yellow - Jealousy.
The Hyacinth flower is dedicated to Apollo the god of the sun and music amongst others.

‘The Language of Flowers’ is also a song words and music written by the English composer Edward Elgar on 29 May 1872, when he was only fourteen years old. This led me to thinking about the proms and laurel and then Apollo’s Laurel.
Daphne, pursued persistently by Apollo, implored the other Olympian gods to help her. They rendered her unrecognisable and changed her into the most precious of aromatics, the laurel, whose light bark covered her breasts; her hairs became foliage, her graceful arms branches, her feet solid roots. Apollo, inconsolable, covers himself with leaves and since then name of 'Apollo's laurel' as remained.

In my little book ~

Hyacinth - Sport. Game. Play.
Hyacinth, white - Unobtrusive loveliness.

:o) Lol.

Here are some more for you all

Snow drops - renewed address
Red rose- Love I love you
White rose- refusal I love you not
Yellow rose- Misplaced affection I love another
Rosemary- Remebrance never will your memory fade
Salvia red -Passion passionate love is often short lived
Saazifrage -Humility
Scabious - Luckleessness
Solomon's - seal Simplicity neither rich or fortunate I yet dare to love you
Sunflower - Ostentation, things that glitter do not impress me
Oak leaves - courage do not despair love will find a way
Oleander -Warning false friend has betrayed our secret
Orange blossom - Purity, it is unlucky to use these flowers except at a wedding
Narcissus - Self love you love no one better than your self
Mock orange- cancelled wedding your disillusioned bride to be has changed her mind but not her degree
Moneywort- Fidelity ever faithful
Myrtle - fragrance be my sweetheart
Forget me knot - remembrance think of me during my absence
Foxglove -shallowness you are not really in love
Fuchsia- Warning, beware your lover is false
Maidenhair fern - Virginity I am heart whole you have a chance to win me
Eglantine- poetry and fragrance, these leaves in their sweet frangrance remind me of yourself
Lily tiger- passion My love knows no bounds
Lily white- purity I kiss the hem of your garment
Lily of the valley -Maidenly modesty, friendship is sweet talk to me not of love.
Lobelia blue - dislike , like you I do not love you I could not
Lobelia white - rebuff, your attentions are entiely misdirected
London pride -Flirtation, forgive me if I caused you heartache, you can be nothing to me
Love in the mist- Uncertainty. Your message is ambiguous, what do you mean
Love lies bleeding- Broken heart. Since you refuse me, life is empty
Lupin- Over boldness, who goes softley goes far
Clematis- Intellectuality, I pay tribute to your brilliance and cleverness
Cantabury bell blue - faithfulness, be not misled i love you
Canterbury bell white- Acknowledgement, I received your gift and treasure it dearly
Dahlia White- Dismissal do not approach me
Dahlia red - rebuff You have mistaken my feelings
Dahlia yellow- Distaste, your attentions are distasteful
Michaelmas daisy- farewell, do not write or speak to me , I can never love you
Daisy ox ey- Hope I might learn to love you
Dog violet- Lad's love you are my first sweet heart.
Deadly Nightshade- Deception, I believe you to be false
Aster- afterthoughts, I regret my impetuousness, do not take me too seriously
Azalea- Moderation. Be more moderate in your actions.
Tulip - Avowal , by this token I declare my passion
Tyme- Domestic virtue, I need a wife as capable as you
Veronica- true love , nothing shall part us
Violet- modesty, pure and sweet art thou
Trumpet flower- Flame of fire, my heart burns for you
Sweet pea - Tenderness, your memory is very sweet
Sweet William- Ciquetry, I was only teasing you
Sweet Sultan- Happiness. This is to wish you happiness
Wormwood- prting, the best of friends must part
Phlox pink- Friendship, I think we might be friends
Phlox white- Interest, Tell me something about yourself
Pimpernel- Meeting, when and where can we meet
Poppy red- moderation, my heart cannot be stormed, you must lay siege to it and be patient
Poppy white-Temporization, I have not made up my mind
Primrose- Dawning love, I might learn to love you
Gladiolus- Pain, your words have wonded me
Globe flower- Welcome, you will be welcome
Guelder Rose- Autumn love, He who weds me must be a man in his first youth, not his second childhood lol
Hare bell -Resigntion , I bow to your will, but still hope on
Geranium Pink- doubt, explain your actions
Geranium scarlet- duplicity, I don not trust you
Geranium white- Indecision, I have not made up my mind
Goden Rod- Indecision, my mind is not made up
Buttercup- Radiance, what galden beauty is yours.
Covw slip- winsome beauty, You are as sinsome as the flowers of spring

Since WW11 the Japanese have used the western flower language and tend to forget that there is also an independent Japanese flower language which is called Hanakotoba.
However, flower language is used in many movies and animation in Japan, such as Weiss Kreuz. Japanese musician Miyavi uses the lotus as his insignia sitting below the kanji for his name, which means elegance.
We all know the yellow Chrysanthemum means Imperial and the white one truth. Suisen (daffodil) for respect. Tenjikubotan (Dahlia) good tatse. Hinagiku (daisy) faith. Furījia (Freesia) childish/Immature. Ēderuwaisu (Edelweiss) courage/power Kuchinashi (Gardenia) secret love. Perhaps we could combine them Morgana? so they are all good ones.

Fascinating! I love this blog!

Russian flower language does not differ much from Europe. Though for a funeral or sympathy flowers must be even numbers, but for a nice occassion bouquet the custom is uneven numbers not too important for mixed flowers but is important if a single flower arrangement. You would not want to get yellow roses in Russia Madperth as it means betrayal.

Oooh! Had enough yellow roses in my life then ta!

But you are not Russian Madpaerth so does not count.
In Victorian England they were for friendship and devotion and still are.

I did wonder, cos the peace rose is mainly yellow, isn't it??