Flowers and herbs are undeniably beautiful with their delicate shapes, glorious colours and heavenly scents. But why do we give them as a symbol of our love? The tradition of giving flowers with meaning, (floriology), has been around for thousands of years, but was popularised in Europe in the 18th century when Charles the II of Sweden introduced the Person language of flowers, a custom in which meanings were attached to each type of flower.
In Victorian times the “Tussy mussy” or “talking bouquet” became very popular. Little handheld bouquets of wild flowers and herbs were carefully put together to send a secret message to the intended. It was a way of expressing feelings without the embarrassment of telling the recipient directly and perhaps running the risk of rejection!
So, for your information, the following flowers and herbs have these associations:
Red rose – true love and respect
Thornless rose – love at first sight
Red tulip – declaration of love
Primrose – I can’t live without you
Lemon balm – brings love
Thyme – strength and courage
Sage – wisdom and longevity
Dandelion – wishes come true
Forget me nots – true love and memories
You have no excuses for not putting the perfect bouquet together for your beloved now! And I’ll have a dozen red roses and a few dandelions please!
