The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Grey-A Perfect Gift For Mothers Day

The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Grey is the inspiration behind this blog.  There are many books on the Language of Flowers and I probably have them all but……this tiny little hard bound book by Samantha Grey is really something special.  Small in size, visually stunning, chock full of useful and interesting facts on flowers and the Victorian Era.  Full of poems, pictures and a deep understanding of the Victorians fascination with the Language of Flowers.  If you love flowers this is a great book to treat yourself to!  It is also the perfect book to give a flower loving friend! I can’t say enough about this tiny little gem!

50 flowers are described in glowing detail, with gorgeous illustrations! A perfect Mother’s Day gift for your garden loving Moma!

Tussie-Mussie: The Language of Flowers (Paperback-review)

Flowers can say all kinds of things:

“I love you”

“How could you?!”

“Let’s get married”

“Happy Birthday”

just about anything. I orginally got this book for some research on Victorian customs and realized it can still be used today. This book goes way past just pretty pictures, though there are dozens of ideas for Tussie-Mussies to give to friends and family. There is a history of Tussie-Mussies and a Step by Step guide to making a Tussie-Mussie in the front, and — my personal favorite — TWO glossaries, a Vocabulary of Flowers and an Index of Sentiments. For research or fun, this is definitely the book to have.

Now let’s get busy and start making some Tussie-Mussies!  Our friends and family will be delighted!

How To Make a Tussie-Mussie

Tussie-Mussies

Tussie-mussies were small handheld fragrant bouquets often wrapped in lace doilies. Most often, they were a combination of fragrant herbs; each had its own meaning and a single central flower. Great care was taken to combine the selection in such a way that its meaning was accurately expressed. Tussie-mussies were also known as nosegays. They were sometimes carried at nose level to block out some of the unpleasant odors common during the Victorian Era. Suitors presented tussie-mussies to their ladies and watched to see if they were held at heart level, which indicated happiness and acceptance. Tussie-mussies held pointing downward were a sign of rejection. Not only did a certain flower have significance, but colors also expressed variations in intent or emotions. Even today, a red rose is said to be an expression of passionate or true love, a pink rose is a sign of warm affection, white roses are associated with purity, and yellow roses with friendship. (Unless you are a passionate Texan!)

Flower Meanings – Flowers and their meanings have changed throughout the years as many of the original meanings were forgotten. Cultural differences and even regional areas influence the meaning of flowers. Today flowers are connected with birthdays or a State Flower rather than a lot of intricate meaning.

Tussie-Mussies: “Talking Bouquets” – Tussie-mussies are also called nose bouquets. Traditionally composed of fragrant herbs held tightly together in a circular design with a single flower in the center, they became a popular floral gift during Victorian times. The custom of sending subtle communications with flowers began to influence what flowers were chosen based on the intended message.

Tussie-Mussies – During the Victorian Era, flowers were combined to signify messages. Small tightly composed hand-held bouquets known as tussie-mussies or a nosegay was given as gifts and to acknowledge special occasions. The way a bouquet was held often indicated acceptance, acknowledgement, or approval. Though today’s bridal bouquets are generally larger than a nosegay, they are a modern example of a tussie-mussie.

HOW TO MAKE A TUSSIE-MUSSIE

Materials Needed

• Filler plants (see note below)
• A large flower for the tussie-mussie heart
• Scissors or small pruners
• Hole punch
• Paper doily
• Curling ribbon or raffia
• Floral tape
• Index card
• Colored pencils
• A glass of water

Note:  Suggested filler plants include baby’s breath, pansies, violets and fragrant herbs. I used a pink rose for  the centerpiece (if you’ve been reading my blog you know the pink rose symbolizes ?????  You are right! Warm  Affection or Perfect Happiness) Add baby’s breath as filler and large rose leaves and ivy to surround the rose. A tiny bunch of perfection for someone you are warm and fuzzy about!

Use the language of flowers list that I included in previous posts to gather plants for your chosen meaning for your  tussie-mussie. Cut the plants in four to six inch lengths.  Strip the bottom  leaves, and rest the plants in a glass of water while you work.  Hold the center  of the flower in one hand, and surround it with a suitable layer of filler  plants.  Secure all stems with floral tape.  Arrange large leaves such as ivy  around the outer edge of the tussie-mussie center to border it.  Secure this,  too, with floral tape.  Cut a hole in the middle of the doily by marking an X  there.  Insert the trunk of the tussie-mussie plants into the precut doily and  secure the base of it with floral tape.  Tie curling ribbon or raffia onto the  tussie-mussie’s trunk at the base of the doily.  Fold an index card in half, and  punch a hole at the top left corner of it.  Use colored pencils to write a brief  sentiment on the index card, and attach it to the tussie-mussie.

Your tussie-mussie is now complete.

The Language of Flowers-part 1

Language of flowers

Purple liac symbolizes “first emotions of love” in the language of flowers.

The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through tussie-mussies (small flower bouquets), an art which has a following today.

The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply passionate, romantic love and pink roses a lesser affection; white roses suggest virtue and chastity and yellow roses still stand for friendship or devotion. Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers, which can indicate either haughtiness or respect– they were the favorite flower of St. Julie Billiart for this reason

Inevitably there are geographic variances.

History

The notion of plants having meanins is traditional, as seen for example in the play Hamelet (circa 1600), Act 4, Scene V, in the passage beginning “There’s rosemary, thats for remembrance,…” The 19th century interest in a language of flowers finds its roots in Ottoman Turkey, specifically the court in Constantinople and an  obsession it held with tulips during the first half of the 18th century.

The craze was then introduced to Europe by two people: Englishwoman Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762), who introduced it to England in 1717, and Aubry de La Mottraye (1674–1743), who introduced it to the Swedish court in 1727. This was then eventually popularized in various European countries – in France, it was popular about 1810–1850, via such books as Le Langage des Fleurs (“The Language of Flowers”, 1819, Charlotte de Latour), while in Britain it was popular during the Victorian age (roughly 1820–1880), in the US about 1830–1850, and spread worldwide Symbolic meaning of flowers

Flower Meaning Acacia Secret love Acanthus Art Aconite Misanthropy Agrimony Thankfulness Aloe Grief Almond Promise Amaranth (Globe) Immortal love Amaryllis Pride Ambrosia Love is reciprocated Anemone Forsaken, sickness (negative), anticipation, unfading love Angrec Royalty Apple blossom Preference Arborvitae Everlasting friendship Arbutus “You’re the only one I love” Arum Ardor Asparagus foliage Fascination Asphodel My regrets follow you to the grave Aster Symbol of love, daintiness, talisman of love,trusting Azalea Take Care, temperance, fragile, passion, Chinese symbols of womanhood Baby’s breath Innocence, pure of heart Bachelor button Single blessedness, celibacy Balm Social intercourse or sympathy Balsam Ardent love Balsamine Impatience Bay wreath Glory Begonia Beware, a fanciful nature Bellflower Disappointment, loss Bells of Ireland Luck Berrirose Choose your destiny, I won’t give up my promise, I’ll love you forever Bird’s-foot Trefoil Revenge Bird of Paradise flower Liberty, magnificence, good perspective, faithfulness (given by a man to a woman) Box Constancy Borage Courage Broom Humility Bulrush Docility Bumblebee Orchid Industry Buttercup Riches Cabbage Profit Camellia japonica Unpretending excellence Campanula Gratitude Canterbury Bells Gratitude Carnation general Fascination; distinction; love red Deep romantic love, passion, “My heart aches for you,” “Alas; for my poor heart!” green secret symbol of the followers of Oscar Wilde white Sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, faithfulness pink A woman’s love, a mother’s love, “I’ll never forget you,” “Always on my mind,” yellow rejection, disdain, “You have disappointed me” purple Capriciousness, whimsical, changeable, unreliability mauve Dreams of fantasy striped No, refusal, “Sorry I can’t be with you” solid color Yes, affirmative Celandine Joys to come Cherry blossom A good education Transience of life, Wabi-sabi, gentleness, kindness (in Japan) Feminine beauty (in China) Chestnut “Do me justice” China aster Love of variety, fidelity, “I will think of you” Chrysanthemum red “I love” yellow Slighted Love Coreopsis Always cheerful Cowslip Winning grace Clove Undying love Clover red Industry white “I promise” Columbine “the emblem of deceived lovers,” ingratitude, faithlessness Coriander Lust Cypress Death, mourning, despair, sorrow. Daffodil Uncertainty, chivalry, respect or unrequited love, return my affection Dahlia Elegance and dignity Daisy general Innocence, loyal love, purity, faith, cheer, simplicity; or, dissembling as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet red Beauty unknown to possessor Dandelion Coquetry Delphinium Levity, fun, big-hearted, ardent attachment, joy Eglantine Rose A wound to heal Elderflower Compassion Fennel Strength or, as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, flattery and deceit Forget-me-not True love Fungus Resilience, loneliness, solitude, disgust Gardenia You’re lovely, secret love, joy, sweet love, good luck Geranium Gentility Gladiolus Strength of character, honor, conviction Gorse Love in all seasons Grass Submission Heather purple Solitude, beauty, admiration white Protection Heliotrope Devotion Hibiscus Rare beauty, delicate beauty Hollyhock Ambition Honeysuckle Devoted affection, bonds of love Houseleek Domestic economy

Flower Meaning Hydrangea Frigidness, heartlessness (negative), heartfelt gratitude for being understood Iris Good news Ivy Dependence, endurance Jasmine Unconditional and eternal love (in the Philippines) Jonquil “Return my affection” Laurel Ambition, success, renown Laurestine A token Lavender Devotion, distrust Lemon blossom Discretion Lettuce Cold-hearted Lilac purple First emotion of love white Youthful innocence, memories Lily white Purity scarlet High-souled aspirations orange Desire, passion, hatred (negative) Lily of the Valley Sweetness, Humility, Returning Happiness, Trustworthy Lime Blossom Fornication Lobelia Malevolence Lotus Purity, chastity and eloquence Love lies bleeding Hopelessness Magnolia Love of nature Mallow Consumed by love Marigold Pain and grief Mayflower Welcome Mignonette Worth Mint Suspicion Moonflower Dreaming of love Morning glory Love in vain Mullein Good-nature Narcissus Unrequited love, selfishness Nasturtium Patriotism Oak leaf Strength Oats Music Olive Peace Orchid Refined beauty Oxeye daisy Patience Pansy Thoughts (according to Ophelia of Hamlet) Peach blossom Long-life, generosity, and bridal hope Pear blossom Lasting friendship Peony Shame, bashfulness Prosperity, honor (in China) Masculinity, bravery (in Japan) Phlox Harmony, “Our souls are united”, “We think alike” Pitch pine blossom Philosophy Plum blossom Beauty and longevity Plumeria Perfection, springtime, new beginnings Primrose Eternal love Protea Courage Poppy general Eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination red Pleasure white Consolation, dreams, modern, peace yellow Wealth, success Rainflower I love you back, I must atone for my sins, I will never forget you Rose red True love blue Mystery, attaining the impossible, love at first sight white silence or innocence, wistfulness, virtue, purity, secrecy, reverence and humility black Death, hatred, farewell, rejuvenation or rebirth yellow Friendship, jealousy, infidelity, apology, a broken heart, intense emotion, dying love, extreme betrayal pink Grace dark pink Gratitude light pink Desire, passion, joy of life, youth, energy burgundy Unconscious beauty coral or orange Desire, passion lavender (violet) Love at first sight red and white together United red and yellow together Joy, happiness and excitement thornless Love at first sight Rosemary Remembrance Rue Regret, Sorrow, Repentance Sensitive Plant Sensitivity Snowdrop Consolation or hope Star of Bethlehem Atonement, Reconciliation Straw United Sunflower Pure and lofty thoughts Sweetbrier Simplicity Sweetpea “You have my thanks” Thorn-apple Disguise Thistle Nobility Thyme Thriftiness Tulip-tree Fame Tulip red Undying love purple Forever love white One side love yellow Hopeless love Violet blue Faithfulness purple Daydreaming white Modesty Viscaria Invitation to dance Willow  (creeping) Love forsaken Winged seeds (any kind) Messengers Witch-hazel A magic spell Wheat Wealth and prosperity Wormwood Absence,bitter sorrow

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Victorian Era Symbology of Flowers

For centuries, flowers, herbs and various plants have given pleasure to people because of their beauty and fragrance. Flowers have also had religious and symbolic meaning throughout time.

But during the Victorian era in particular, flowers were used to convey messages of love or dislike, depending upon which ones were chosen, their size, how they were held, or even how they were grouped together. They had silent meanings of their very own. Bouquets were filled with intrigue and secret messages. Here are just a few examples of the language of flowers:

Acacia – secret love
Baby’s breath – everlasting love
Carnation (pink) – I will never forget you
Carnation (red) – my heart aches for you
Daffodil – respect
Forget-me-not – true love
Gardenia – secret love
Gladiolus – love at first sight
Honeysuckle – generous and devoted affection
Hyacinth (yellow) – jealousy
Hyacinth (white) – constance of love
Hydrangea – heartlessness, frigidity
Ivy – fidelity, friendship, affection
Lemon balm – brings love
Lily of the Valley – return of happiness
Myrtle – emblem of marriage, love
Tulip (yellow) – hopeless love
Tulip (variegated) – beautiful eyes
Tulip (red) – believe me, declaration of love
Oleander – caution, beware
Orchid – mature charm
Rose (red) – I love you
Rose (white) – eternal love
Rose (pink) – perfect happiness
Sweet William – gallantry