Thursday, December 31, 2009

Flowers Can Speak For You

By Florian Jackson

Since historical times, flowers have been used as a profession of kindness. We usually gift them to those we love. We give flowers to show them how important they are, to show admiration, to celebrate occasions, or even to sympathize. What we don't know is that sending certain types of flowers, and even their colors, actually have significances of their own.

Floriography: (Language Of Flowers)

During medieval & Renaissance times, flowers were often given moral meanings. This can be widely seen in art where saints are often shown with flowers that represent or symbolize their virtues. Liana DeGirolami Cheney expressed in an edition of Sixteenth Century Journal that "some of the Christian symbols for Virginity or Chastity are the white rose, the myrtle, a vessel or vase, the lily, and the unicorn."

Back in Victorian times, flowers began to create or add emotion. The language of flowers, sometimes referred to as floriography, began being used as a discreet form of communication. In the 18th century, sending cyphered messages using flowers became popular. Based on a Turkish secret language of flowers, known as Persian Salaam, a coded flower arrangement could be sent to declare feelings of attraction or even love.

Back in 1819, a book entirely about interpretations of flowers called "Le Language des Fleurs," was written by Madame Charlotte de la Tour. Another was written in 1884, called "Language of Flowers" by Kate Greenaway, and it is still being used today.

Japan also has a language of flowers, which they call "Hanakotoba." Greeting cards made in Japan follow the Hanakotoba code, and still apply the flower-language in popular culture such as in films and cartoons, like the anime show "Wei Kreuz."

Well-Known Meanings Of Flowers

Buy or borrow a dictionary of flowers to see the different meanings and interpretations of flowers. Some of the most well-known flowers and their significances are listed below:

Buttercup - riches Pink carnations - a woman's love Chrysanthemum - love in general Forget-me-not - true love Lavender - devotion, distrust Purple lilac - first emotion of love White lily - purity Peach blossom- long-life Red rose - true love Sunflower - pure and lofty thoughts Yellow tulip - hopeless love

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