There's a Secret Code Hidden Within Your Favorite Flowers – Here’s What These 9 Spring and Summer Blooms Actually Mean
The Victorians created an entire language based around flower meanings. (PS take it as a warning if someone gifts you lavender)
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One of my latest obsessions has been researching the deeper meanings behind plants. They have long been symbols of different emotions and life events, across many historic and cultural traditions. And one of the most beautiful interpretations is the Victorian language of flowers, or floriography.
Just like birth month flowers having special symbolism, the Victorian language of flowers is a way to code flowers as specific messages. Floriography allowed Victorians to convey messages through floral arrangements without spoken word, often used for difficult and confronting conversations. Over time, different plants gained widely accepted connotations.
What is the Victorian Language of Flowers?
In floriography, the lupin represents creativity and imagination
In the 19th Century, strict social rules often made it tricky for individuals to truly express themselves. So, Victorians created a communication system using flower arrangements.
Bouquets would be gifted to send messages, with different flowers representing different things. It turned into a way of sending a coded message without having to say anything aloud.
This wasn't always so positive, however, as beautiful arrangements would be disguised as signs of rejection, anger, and sorrow, as well as friendship, love, and respect.
In terms of how these meanings came to be, there were a few influences.
The characteristics and colors of plants undoubtedly were taken into consideration (such as a thorns representing pain), but floriography was also influenced by Greek mythology and religious symbolism, as well as some tales from cultures across the world.
It's important to note that dictionaries of this coded language are not always so consistent, being derived from interpretation. However the most popular blooms today have generally agreed upon meanings.
Here, I talk through nine top picks of spring and summer blooms you likely have growing in your yard and what they portray.
Daffodil – Chivalry and Respect
'February Gold' is one of the earliest varieties of daffodils
Daffodils (Narcissus) are one of the earliest signs of spring, appearing as early as February and lasting through to May.
In the Victorian language of flowers, it's a symbol of respect and chivalry, as well as new beginnings as they mark the start of the season.
There is also an understanding of the daffodil meaning vain love, in regard to the Greek myth of Narcissus where a young man had extreme vanity and rejection of admirers. He was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool, yet unable to possess his image he died and turned into daffodil.
If you're keen to add a feeling of new beginning to your yard with these yellow blooms, you should plant daffodil bulbs in fall for the best display.
Remember to also deadhead daffodils (with these pruning shears from Amazon) after they flower to help the bulb store energy for next year.
Find daffodil bulbs at Burpee.
Find daffodil bulbs on Amazon.
Lily of the Valley – Return of Happiness
Lily of the valley is the May birth month flower
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is a dainty, shade-tolerant perennial that comes out in May. It thrives in cool, damp places, where it brightens up darker corners of the yard.
In the Victorian language of flowers, they're understood as bringing a return of happiness, with the spring garden in full swing after colder, darker months.
During Victorian times, many would celebrate Whit Monday, the day after Pentecost, by going on a 'lily picnic' – this would involve gathering woodland plant, like lily of the valley.
For a joyful touch to your garden, grow these fragrant spring-flowering perennials as groundcover plants beneath trees.
A word of warning: this is poisonous plant, so may be one to avoid if you have curious pets.
You can find lily of the valley pips to plant at Burpee.
Oak-Leaf Geranium – True Friendship
Oak-leaf geranium has a woody scent, rather than floral
Oak-leaf geranium (Pelargonium quercifolium) is a beautiful, fragrant perennial that is grown not only for its two-tone pink blooms, but also its gorgeous foliage, unsurprisingly reminiscent of lobed oak leaves.
In the Victorian language of flowers, this particular type of geranium (which is actually a pelargonium) represents true friendship.
It's likely this is in reference to the strength of oak trees, with oak-leaf geraniums being gifted to show sincere, non-romantic loyalty and steadfastness.
Oak-leaf geraniums are typically grown as annuals, hardy across USDA zones 9-11.
They enjoy full sun and well-draining soil, and can be grown in pots and borders alike.
Citronella is another popular scented geranium, also embodying the idea of true friendship, which you can purchase as a citronella starter plant on Amazon. This one is a good choice to grow as a semi-trailing plant in hanging baskets.
Chamomile – Energy in Adversity
Use dried chamomile flowerheads to make herbal tea
There's no surprise chamomile is symbolic of strength and energy in difficult times, being a medicinal plant and one of the best herbal tea plants.
It's small and can be overlooked, but this daisy-like plant bounces back when trampled on, eaten by cattle, and harvested, hence it radiating resilience in floriography.
Chamomile lawns actually only became popular in the Elizabethan era, but it is once again an example of this flower's ability to cope with footfall and harsh conditions.
When growing chamomile, it's best suited a full-sun position, thriving in a well-draining sandy or loamy soil type.
Using chamomile seeds (from Burpee), you can even grow chamomile in an indoor tea garden.
Or, shop for a chamomile starter plant from Amazon.
Purple Hyacinth – Forgiveness and Regret
Pink hyacinths represent playful joy in floriography
Hyacinths are some of the most popular spring bulbs to plant in fall, with their bell-shaped florets and sweet fragrance.
In terms of the Victorian language of flowers, purple hyacinths in particular are symbols of forgiveness and regret.
It actually stems from a classical Greek legend where Apollo accidentally struck a strikingly beautiful youth named Hyacinthus in the head with a discus, ending fatally. It's said Hyacinthus' drops of blood turned into hyacinths of purple hue.
Today, they are much more joyful, making popular choices for indoor bulbs to force for Christmas, as well as being much-anticipated for spring color.
It's especially easy to grow hyacinths in containers, where they enjoy sitting somewhere sunny.
Find blue-purple 'Blue Jacket' hyacinth bulbs on Amazon, or explore other hyacinth varieties in the hyacinth collection at Burpee.
Red Poppy – Consolation and Eternal Sleep
An alternative meaning of poppies in the Victorian language of flowers is luxury and opulence
Poppies are some of the easiest blooms to grow, as they're wildflower seeds that can simply be scattered in a sunny, well-draining spot to put on a magnificent spring and summer display.
In modern day, the red poppy serves as a symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers, especially in the UK and commonwealth counties.
In Victorian times, it had similar connotations, as the red poppy was seen as a symbol of eternal sleep and consolation. It's a flower that represents peace, rest, and comfort after loss.
Of course, for a colorful garden, you can choose from a whole range of types of poppies, growing across USDA zones 2-10.
Top choices include the most prolific self-seeding varieties that will keep replanting themselves after blooming for a returning display, like these red oriental poppy seeds from Burpee.
Lavender – Mistrust
Lavender is one of the best plants for pollinators, attracting bees and butterflies in the warmer months
Lavender is a staple if you love cottage gardens. Pollinator-magnets, fragrant, and long-blooming, these perennials bring joy to any outdoor space.
But, be aware that they haven't always had such a positive connotation.
Stemming from the belief that Cleopatra hid her poisonous snakes in a lavender bush, these flowers represent mistrust and a lack of faith in floriography.
Its aroma was also commonly used in Victorian times to cover up unpleasant odors, aligning with an idea of concealment.
Today, lavender is much more appreciated, especially as a versatile garden plant. You can grow lavender in pots and borders, so long as you provide plenty of sun.
Keep in mind lavender is drought-tolerant, so watering lavender too frequently can cause root rot and cause it to fade quickly.
Find lavender plants at Nature Hills.
Find lavender plants on Amazon.
Tulip – Declaration of Love
There are over 3,000 registered tulip varieties worldwide
Alongside daffodils and hyacinths, tulips are a spring bulb staple. With so many types of tulips to choose from, there's one for every yard and personal taste.
Victorians adored this flower just as much, using it to declare love to the recipient.
It stems from the 16th and 17th Centuries, where the tulip had been meticulously cultivated to perfection in Turkey. The resulting slim, pointed flower has been a symbol of beauty ever since.
It was in Holland in the 17th Century where their popularity skyrocketed across Europe, and they became more affordable for residential gardens.
When planting tulip bulbs in your own yard, remember to do so with the pointed side facing upwards. They do best in full sun but will bloom just as wonderfully in partial shade.
Find tulip bulbs at Burpee.
Shop mixed tulip bulbs on Amazon.
Pink Rose – Grace and Admiration
Red roses have a different meaning to pink – deep love and passion
No Victorian garden was complete without the best rose varieties. But, each color holds a different meaning – pink roses exude grace.
It was actually understood that the deeper the love, the deeper the rose color. Hence, red roses were a sign of passion and pink a sign of gentle admiration.
It was often a flower to express an individual's elegance and femininity, especially with the budding and blooming of roses representing young womanhood.
It was also used to show gratitude and appreciation in a romantic relationship.
The one rose color to avoid? Yellow. For Victorians, yellow roses represented infidelity, quite the opposite to red and pink flowers.
Rose care is very particular, so it's best to choose a type that suits your local climate, sun exposure, and your yard's soil type. Don't forget to also steer clear of rose growing mistakes that can hinder their performance in your garden.
Explore climbing rose varieties at Nature Hills and rose bushes at Nature Hills.
FAQs
Which Blooms Represent Gratitude in the Victorian Language of Flowers?
In the Victorian language of flowers, it's common to group together oak-leaf geranium (true friendship), freesia (lasting friendship), and agrimony (gratitude), among others, to send a message of thanks and appreciation.
Why not add these flowers to your cut flower garden? You can then curate arrangements that send lovely messages to friends and family – a bunch of flowers with a deeper meaning.
Shop Flower Growing Kit
Use these flower scissors to tend to and harvest cut flowers. It has a stainless steel blade for clean cuts.
This beautiful canvas garden apron has multiple pockets to hold tools while you work in the yard. It has a neck and waist tie for a comfortable fit.
Use these seed packets for collecting and storing seeds from your yard. Each packet has space to note down details, such as variety and date collected.
