Floriography: What flowers are trying to tell you

Grace Clift explores the language of flowers, as the spring brings colour to our local lands.

Image Credit: ukgardenphotos on Flickr.

The fields are filled with stories. White fields filled with snowdrops have the potential for triumph; they can empower new mothers through those first sleepless nights. Foxgloves open their buds with an undertone of violence. The emergence of spring brings with it a complicated history of love, loss and lingering, dating back to the Victorian era, and existing hidden in plain sight.

There is no definitive date as to the origins of floriography; it arose through a literary lineage spanning all of history. Every myth, sonnet and play mentioning flowers contributed to the established meanings of today, and even now, there is constant debate. However, the first definitive date in the timeline of floriography has to be 1819, marking the release of Charlotte de la Tour’s ‘Le langage des fleurs’.

The book laid out more than 300 meanings behind particular flowers to guide the bouquet-making process. If this sounds like a lot to you, get ready – it only gets more intense from here. Soon, the presentation of flowers became laden with meaning too. For example, if flowers were given upside down, this meant the original meaning behind the flowers was reversed. A ribbon tied to the left meant the meaning was applied to the giver, whereas a ribbon tied to the right sent the meaning to the recipient.

The colours of flowers matter too: take carnations, for example. Generally, carnations symbolise love, but make sure not to choose yellow carnations. These symbolise romantic rejection, whereas red means “my heart aches for you”. Quite the Victorian era blunder.

Due to being based in myth and cultural signifiers, floriography naturally changes given the country of the giver and recipient. Pink flowers vary across cultures, being a symbol of trust in Thailand and good health in Japan whilst tending to represent femininity and playfulness in Western cultures.

What about the flowers blooming across the UK at the moment? From forget-me-nots to foxgloves, let’s explore the history and symbolism behind ten of the UK’s most common spring blooms.

Primroses are one of the first flowers to bloom in the year. Their name originates from the Latin word ‘primus’, meaning first. Bloom and Wild note that because of this, they were often considered a symbol of young love. They also vary in meaning by colour – red primroses are best for new relationships, whereas yellow symbolise a more comfortable, long-term love.

Snowdrops have a colourful history behind them. Sarah Porteus of Creative Countryside writes, “In Victorian superstition, it’s told that you must never bring the Snowdrop into the house for that will bring ill-fortune and in some more extreme versions of the tale, death will occur in the family within the year… Other old English superstitions dictate that by bringing in a Snowdrop, the milk will turn sour and eggs shall spoil.” However, in Lord Tennyson’s famous poem “The Snowdrop”, they are symbols of resistance in times of adversity.

The daffodil is one of the few flowers still used as a notable symbol in the UK. The charity Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal raises money for those living with a terminal illness. To them, they’re a “positive, life affirming symbol” that “can bring reassurance and comfort” to grieving loved ones. There is a resounding acceptance that daffodils symbolise rebirth and hope; however cold the winter has been, the daffodils grow again year after year.

Forget-me-nots have meaning instilled within their name: they are often used by The Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness for those with memory loss. However, the traditional symbolism behind forget-me-nots is true love and fidelity. They are a sign of longstanding commitment and faithfulness – perfect for wedding bouquets.

Foxgloves are intertwined with folklore across the world, often associated with fairies. In UK folklore, foxgloves sway as a bow of deference to fairies who walk by. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya, connected with fertility and love, is associated with foxgloves. For this reason, foxgloves have always been seen as enchanting, with a potential darkness behind them – after all, magic and folklore have been historically despised as much as it has been revered.

As the seasons shift and gifting seasons come and go, consider the history behind the nature you walk past every day. There’s a tapestry of tales in each blossoming, and the seasons bring new meanings with them. For more information, the beautifully illustrated Floriography: Volume 1 is a stunning introduction to the language of flowers.

About the Author: Grace Clift is an English Literature student at the University of York with particular interest in UK politics, climate issues and arts. Grace can be contacted via her email, gracevclift@gmail.com, or through Instagram@gracevclift.