Nature is full of beautiful flowers, we can only appreciate their beauty and try to speak their language. Since ancient times, we have tried to give them different meanings from the perspective of religion, mythology or folklore. That is why there is floriographywhich gives different meanings to each flower that exists.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about single floriography, its characteristics and curiosities.
History of floriography
Floriography, also known as the language of flowers, is what the different flowers that exist transmit. Flowers express feelings, but due to floral art, each flower is given a name.
Different types of flowers are used to express feelings and celebrate special occasions such as weddings and birthdays. Flowers add color to our lives and are important both emotionally and symbolically.
In the past, there were no smartphones, social media, or instant messaging. However, there were some cautious ways of communicating that can express all feelings and emotions that the old social customs could not express. This is where floriography comes in.
Floral art reached its peak in Victorian England and the United States, but in fact, it has been used in countries such as Asia, the Middle East, and Turkey or Persia. In the XNUMXth century, flowers were used instead of words to express forbidden and unacceptable feelings. For example, the Turks have a language called “selam”, which includes flowers and other objects, which we will talk about later.
Floriography came to Europe through the cross-cultural migration of ideas and traditions from China, Japan, Turkey, and Greece. In the XNUMXth century, the language of flowers came from the letters that Mary Watley Montagu sent to her friends in Europe through her. Her husband is the British ambassador to Turkey and when she accompanied him to Turkey, she was fascinated by the strange and exotic customs of the Middle East.
Even when selam is a mnemonic system, we can say that Mrs. Mary Watley Montagu pioneered the connection between words and flowers and began the flowering of English floriculture.
Popular Floriography
With the Victorian era at the center, we can easily say that it marked the ceremonial era of the upper class, containing rules and customs that prohibited direct flirting, questioning, or conversation. This is a historical period marked by high social inequality, which is why people began to send secret messages, in this case, through botany.
The language of the flower shop spread little by little and began to be misinterpreted. Then a series of books began to emerge that basically explained the meaning of flowers.
Floriography is so popular that people used to carry florist books assigned to certain flowers. Like any other language of communication, floriography spread and no matter how formal the teaching was, the knowledge of flowers was only passed down from generation to generation.
Some Asian cultures are also used to giving meaning to flowers. For example, in Japanese culture there is an art that gives meaning to flowers, unlike floral art, they call it “Hanakotoba.
Currently, floriography is a rarely used term. Perhaps reading this article is the first time you hear about it. We can even say that most people only know the meaning of one flower – the red rose. If you do not know or do not remember, we leave you a clue: it is related to Valentine’s Day.
Even if you don’t remember, let’s now look at the types of flowers and their meanings based on the study of flowers.
Flower types and meanings
According to the color
If there is something in a flower, it is its color, because there are hundreds of different species, and even in the same species we can find different colors. Red flowers are often associated with love and passion, and they also symbolize affection and respect. They are ideal flowers for your passionate loved ones.
On the other hand, pink flowers usually represent elegance, joy and innocence. Its meaning can also vary greatly from culture to culture, which is also true. For example, in some Asian countries, they can mean self-confidence, good luck, and health. In western culture, it can represent femininity and fun.
Yellow flowers convey joy, happiness and friendship. They are great to cheer on friends, or just if you want to decorate the space with joy.
Floriography according to feelings
Red roses may be the most famous flowers in the world because they are related to passion and love. Every year on February 14, we can see how couples give each other red roses on Valentine’s Day. Another flower that stands out in floriography is the red tulip. Elegant and colorful, knowing how to perfectly express its meaning: perfect and lasting love.
The same goes for red carnations, it also brings a deep connection between the parties, that is why giving red carnations symbolizes affectionate and caring love, and also symbolizes love and infatuation.
Finally, we have dahlias, a striking flower that has a meaning associated with a relationship of true and lasting commitment, so they are ideal for anniversary flowers.
Flowers that mean friendship
These types of flowers are usually gifted or gifted to our friends for an achievement or celebration. The yellow rose symbolizes happiness and joy, making it a very successful flower for a great friendship.
The second flower in this category is freesia, because Besides friendship, it also symbolizes trust and reflection. Another flower related to friendship is the Inca lily, which means strength, dedication, mutual support and obvious friendship.
To complete this category, we cannot ignore chrysanthemums. Although their meanings vary by culture and geography, they generally represent happiness, longevity, and love.
Flowers that signify gratitude
Pink roses are the perfect way to express gratitude and appreciation to those who are by your side during the hardest and most difficult times. Hydrangeas express sincere feelings such as gratitude and understanding.
Peas, in addition to their aroma, a special thank you to someone. Finally we have the iris. It means hope and trust, and it is very appropriate to thank someone for being with us when it becomes more difficult for us.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about floriography and its meaning.
