The Language of Flowers

Bored with roses? Want to make a more complicated statement?

The Illustrated Language of Flowers (1856), contains all the Victorian lore needed to design a bouquet which exactly expresses your feelings.  Try four-leaved clovers ("be mine"), white dittany of Crete ("passion"), glory flower ("glorious beauty"), and red tulip ("declaration of love").

Or perhaps a combination of common almond, yellow carnation, fuller's teasel, and basil is more appropriate (stupidity, disdain, misanthropy, and hatred).

And for those set on roses, there are 34 different types named, conveying meanings from "I am worthy of you" (white rose) to "war" (York-and-Lancaster rose).

Shorter works on the subject include The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1858) and The Flower Vase (1850). If you need fuller explanations of the meanings, and poetry to accompany, try The Language of Flowers: The Floral Offering (1851).