Valentine Flowers Speak of Love
Imagine having an intimate conversation with someone you love. Now imagine how that conversation would occur without speaking, or even writing. Imagine finding someone you’d very much like to know better. Suppose they’re interested in you as well. Imagine getting that relationship off the ground without using words of any kind.
That was the situation in Victorian England for much of the 1800′s. Due to the strict social etiquette of the time, extreme discretion was required. Conversations of a romantic nature were strictly off-limits. But emotional expression cannot be denied for long. Symbolism and meaning became attached to everyday objects and gestures, and especially to flowers.
As a result, secret meanings were given to every type and color of flower. Bouquets became secret messages. An exchange of flowers became a conversation without words. The way the flowers were presented and the way they were accepted also added meaning. Many secret messages were romantic in nature, but some were rejections or insults.
Together with the language of flowers, small bouquets, known as tussie-mussies, became a secret way to declare intentions and make refusals, acceptances and rejections. Flowers allowed Victorians a way to express their emotions and thoughts without speech or writing.
As the symbolism grew more complex, many details of the secret codes were written down. Eventually dictionaries and even books were written to clarify the meanings and to help people better create and understand the messages.
The Victorians weren’t the first to use flowers to express emotions. Many cultures including the Greeks, the Persians, and the Japanese had a flower language. While the exact meanings of flowers have changed over time to meet the needs of culture, the desire to express thoughts and emotions through flowers has remained to this day.
Flowers were an important part of the courtship process in many cultures over the centuries. These elaborate and lengthy rituals would bewilder our modern culture, but led directly to the prominent use of flowers in our modern culture. Flowers are an important part of many holidays such as Easter, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
We still use flowers to express our thoughts and emotions, although not in quite the same way as the Victorians. For Valentine’s Day this year, rather than sending your loved one a simple “I love you” with roses, why not try a bouquet of mixed flowers with a hidden message? Search for the “language of flowers” online for ideas. Include a note about the hidden meaning of the flowers in the bouquet. Be sure to order your Valentine’s Day flowers in advance to ensure a timely delivery.
Need Valentine flowers delivered to Tampa? A-Bow-K Florist http://www.a-bow-kflorist.com can deliver fresh flowers and gifts to those you care about in Tampa and neighboring communities. Be sure to order early.
Tags: flowers, Gardening, holidays, Home Garden, valentines dayJanuary 31 2010 | Gardening | No Comments »