For centuries, flowers have bloomed alongside people, their beauty inspiring stories and symbolism of all kinds. Many flower names are derived from the Ancient Greek language, and are thus associated with mythological stories. From flower creation myths, like the tale of Narcissus — whose vanity is represented in the modern-day daffodil — flowers have come to mean many different things throughout time.
One of the most interesting ways humans have ascribed meaning to flowers is the Victorian practice of floriography. Floriography is a form of cryptography, which comes from the Ancient Greek words ‘kryptós’ (hidden or secret), and ‘grapho’ (to write or draw). To put it simply, cryptography is a form of writing down a secret.
Substitute flowers for words, and floriography was born.
While popularized in the Victorian era, floriography is believed to have roots in a Turkish practice called Sélam. According to The Little Book of Floriography: The Secret Language of Flowers, Sélam was written about in letters by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, English writer and poet, and was described as a game.
As Montagu observed in other women while living at the Turkish Embassy, items — most often flowers — were given to others as a form of poetic note-passing. Representative of euphemisms and rhymes, it was entirely up to the giver and receiver to understand one another. Eventually, Montagu’s letters were published in 1763 and the British took an interest in the concept of Sélam.
Flowers were displayed and given to impart specific meanings and symbols, and many Victorian-era authors even began to publish lists of floral dictionaries. The Little Book of Floriography says that 500 different dictionaries were published after the first release in 1819, Les Language des Fleurs, by Charlotte de Latour. The symbolism of each bloom could change depending on the source, but some had much more commonly accepted meanings which persist to this day.
Many sources inspired these meanings: Ancient Greek and Roman Mythology, European Folklore, plants' traditional healing properties and the flower’s visual qualities. These meanings were taken very seriously, with a single color difference in petals changing a flower’s intention. How flowers were displayed could also change the meaning, and symbolic bouquets (called Posies or Tussie Mussies) became popular accessories in the time of Queen Victoria.
For this photoshoot, each of our models was tasked with choosing a flower that spoke to them personally. They were free to interpret that meaning into their look as they pleased, as floriography has always existed as a means of self-expression. Our models chose pink carnations, purple orchids, baby’s breath, yellow tulips, sunflowers, calla lilies, red roses, jasmine and chrysanthemums.
To begin, the pink carnation symbolizes fascination, female support, a mother’s love, and a reminder to remember those close to you. According to the National Gallery of Art, some creation myths associate the delicate bloom with the goddess Diana, while others attribute it (and its connotations of motherly love) to the Virgin Mary.
Baby’s breath, also known as gypsophila, is a symbol of purity. Often given to new parents to celebrate bringing a child into the world, the name of the flower evokes a sense of childlike innocence. It’s also a staple for bridal bouquets, which is fitting as it can represent everlasting love and new beginnings.
Another fragrant white flower is jasmine. This star-shaped flower grows vines and is considered elegant and graceful. This flower, whose meaning is thought to come directly from its appearance, represents love and amiability.
Next, we have roses. As one of the most popular flowers in the world, roses conjure associations of love, passion and desire. The red rose specifically is associated with all things romance. Giving a dozen roses to a romantic interest is a common practice and signifies devotion and a promise of affection throughout the year, with one bloom for each of the 12 months.
Tulips and floriography go hand in hand. Returning to history, we know that the time Lady Mary Wortley Montagu wrote her letters about Sélam was the start of the Ottoman Empire’s Tulip Era. According to a journal published in Project Muse, as the flower was grown with more frequency, the courts developed a fascination with the flowers. Tulips symbolize passion, which was fitting, given that art —another source of passion and creativity — also flourished during this time. The flower represents declarations of love; the yellow tulip specifically means you see sunshine in someone else’s smile.
The chrysanthemum is a strange flower, due to its conflicting messages. In Asia, the flower surrounds ideas of joy and youth, being used in tea for their anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy properties. In Europe, however, they were often associated with sorrow and death and were placed on graves throughout the grieving process, according to The Little Book of Floriography. Some people propose that these two opposite meanings are linked to the circle of life, especially since they begin to bloom in autumn, when other plants die.
Similarly, sunflowers also have opposing meanings, detailed in The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Tall sunflowers were thought to represent haughtiness, superiority and pride, especially because the flower towered over everything else; the yellow of its petals in the Victorian era were actually thought to convey the idea of false riches. On the other hand, the dwarf sunflower represented adoration and pride.
Moving on, we have orchids — a constant in the world of floriography. This flower came to symbolize love, beauty and refinement, and because the color purple is associated with royalty and elegance, purple orchids can also be linked to luxury.
Lastly, there’s the beautiful Calla lily. Calla lilies are one of the more unique looking flowers, with an elegant, trumpet-like shape. It’s no wonder these blooms are associated with beauty — their name comes from the Ancient Greek ‘kallos,’ meaning exactly that. Other common associations include purity, innocence and faithfulness.
Knowing now that the flowers that grow alongside us have many different meanings — both good and bad — take care when picking out your next bouquet. These flowers, shown by the beautiful women of Scarlette Magazine, are much more complex than you might think.
