If you’ve read Runaway Rogue or Keeping the Countess, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I’m something of an anthophile (a person who has zero chill about flowers).
Flower-giving has been a gesture of affection since ancient times, but as the estate system in Europe grew in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, a symbology arose that associated certain sentiments and emotions with flowers. One of the earliest written references to this is Charlotte de la Tour’s 1819 La langues de fleurs (“The Language of Flowers”). In it, she references letters Lady Mary Wortley Montague wrote from Constantinople (present day Istanbul) that described flowers being used to pass messages in a sultan’s harem. The Victorians took it next level by expanding the system to include plants, fruits and vegetables, and making the various meaning and combinations so complex, people had to acquire flower dictionaries just to look up their meaning. We can speculate as to the societal mores and pressures that caused a furtive, yet not actually really that secretive mode of communication, but I think the point here is that sometimes flowers do speak louder than words. Also, fun fact: there are as many equally negative messages as there are positive ones. For example, sending someone a rhododendron flower was the equivalent of this meme:
Here are three recipes for beautiful bouquets for you can gift your special person, friend or yourself without fearing you’re sending the wrong message. No one wants that, especially on a holiday or special occassion.
For Your Bestie: Deep Pink Tulips and Pale Pink Ranunculus This is one of my favorite combinations. I love an ombre effect, so you could reverse this with light pink tulips and darker ranunculus. Tulips have different meanings depending on the color. Pink ones signal affection and good wishes. Pink ranunculus mean charm and attractiveness. For The One You Love: Sunflowers + Yellow Tulips. If you want to go monochromatic, this arrangement tells your special person that there is sunshine in their smile (yellow tulips) and that you adore them loyally (sunflowers). Pink Peonies + Red Roses / Tulips. Peonies are fragrant and beautiful and used in wedding bouquets because they signify beauty, love, romance and new beginnings. Red shades of many flowers (roses, carnations, tulips) mean passionate love (that’s why we’re flooded with them on Love Day. Curious what more bouquets and combinations would have meant to a Victorian? Check out my reels on Instagram here, here, and here.
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