Flowers Feed Also the Soul

Soon as man was sufficiently civilized to have any appreciation of the aesthetic, he became vividly aware of the beauty of Nature's blossoms. There followed a symbolic and mystic attribution to these of qualities and meanings. Beautiful and poetical thoughts were conveyed by the presentation of a sprig of blossom, and whole messages were communicated by bouquets in which each flower chosen betokened a significant idea. Not only love and happiness were the tenor of these floral missives; coquetry, dalliance, prevarication, indifference and coolness; rebuff, refusal, scorn, contempt and insult-all were expressed by a suitably chosen flower. Needless to say, the practice of using floral emblems was so convenient that it became firmly established in favor near and far. From the Occident to the Orient, these messages were current. A floral love-token handed to the favored one by a slave or a henchman could tell no tale to irate parent or spouse-at least no such tale as could an intercepted letter.

But the system was open to falsification. The messenger might hand the missive to a person other than the one for whom it was intended; late at night, or in the half-light of dawn, the hopeful knight-errant would appear at the garden gate to carry off his beloved, and she would fail, perhaps, to realize until too late the deception that had been practiced upon her. Or the flower might be substituted by another having a meaning that was far different from the one intended, so that unwittingly the maiden would give her admirer his conge'.

Despite its liability to unhappy breakdowns of this nature, florigraphy has flourished down to our own day, and the modem revival in the sending of valentines has fostered it. Floral cards for birthday messages are also very popular. To the discriminating sender and appreciative recipient, an aptly chosen spray of blossoms may mean much; only the most heedless or uninformed Would choose flowers at random. (http://www.vangelis.com.au/flowers.asp)

For those interested in the historic meanings of flowers, the Society of American Florists has compiled this list from a variety of different sources: (http://www.aboutflowers.com/floral_b5.html)

Amaryllis dramatic
Anemone fragile
Apple Blossom promise
Aster contentment
Azalea abundance
Baby's Breath festivity
Black-Eyed Susan encouragement
Camellia graciousness
Cosmos peaceful
Crocus foresight
Daffodil chivalry
Delphinium boldness
Daisy innocence
Freesia spirited
Gardenia joy
Heather solitude
Hibiscus delicate beauty
Holly domestic happiness
Hyacinth sincerity
Hydrangea perseverance
Iris inspiration
Ivy fidelity
Jasmine grace and elegance
Lavender distrust
Lilac first love
Stargazer Lily ambition
Calla Lily regal
Magnolia dignity
Marigold desire for riches
Orchid delicate beauty
Pansy loving thoughts
Peony healing
Poppy consolation
red rose passionate love
Sweetpea shyness
Violet faithfulness