There is a language, little known, Lovers claim it as their own. Its symbols smile upon the land, Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand. And in their silent beauty speak, Of life and joy, to those who seek For Love Divine and sunny hours In the language of the flowers. –The Language of Flowers, London, 1875
I was 'in the moment' creating designs for Garden Journal ephemera and began with the names of flowers, then seasons and other interesting 'garden' wording (including poetry, can you believe!), and thought it might be clever to create journal stickers with the name of the flower and the meaning underneath.
Oh, my giddy aunt! I came across a little dissonance regarding the meanings of flowers and thought it might be interesting to get them in some sort of list for future reference.
So, you might wish to give some consideration when next time you send flowers to someone or include them in your journals.
Acacia Beauty in retirement; Friendship; Concealed love; Chaste love | Allium Unity; Humility; Patience | Alstroemeria Wealth; Prosperity; Fortune | Ambrosia Your Love is reciprocated |
Amaryllis/Hippeastrum Pride; Splendid Beauty: Timidity | Anemone Forsaken; Expectations | Aster/Callistephus Symbol of love; Daintiness; Afterthought | Baby’s Breath/Gypsophilia Pure of heart; Innocence |
Bachelor’s Button/Centaurea Cyanus Hope in love; Felicity; Delicacy; Single blessedness | Begonia Beware | Bells of Ireland/Molluculla Balm Good Luck | Bluebell/Scilita Nutans Humility; Everlasting love |
Bouvardia Enthusiasm | Buttercup Childishness | Cactus Endurance | Caladium Great joy and delight |
Camellia Gratitude; Perfection | Camellia (blue) You’re a flame in my heart | Camellia (Pink) Longing for you | Camellia (White) You’re adorable; Perfected loveliness |
Camellia (Red) Unpretending excellence | Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus Fascination; Womanly love; Devoted love | Carnation (Red) My Heart aches for you; Admiration | Carnation (Pink) I’ll never forget you; Woman’s love |
Carnation (Purple) Capriciousness | Carnation (Striped) Sorry I can’t be with you; No; Refusal; Wish I could be with you | Carnation (White) Innocence; Sweet and lovely; Pure Love; Woman’s good luck gift; You’re adorable. | Carnation (Yellow) Rejection; You have disappointed me |
Chrysanthemum Cheerfulness; You’re a wonderful friend; Rest; Loveliness; Abundance; Wealth. | Chrysanthemum (Red) I love | Chrysanthemum (Yellow) Slighted love | Chrysanthemum (White) Truth |
Crocus Youthfulness gladness; cheerfulness | Cyclamen Resignation; Goodbye | Daffodil You’re the only one; Regard; Unrequited love, The sun shines when I’m with you | Dahlia Dignity; Elegance; Good Taste; Instability |
Daisy Innocence; Loyal love; I’ll never tell; purity; Gentleness; Romance | Delphinium Flight of fancy; Ardent attachment | Fern Secret bond of love; Fascination; Sincerity; Magic | Fleur De Lis/Milled de fleur Flame; Burning |
Forget-Me-Not/Myosotis Faithful love; Undying hope; memories; Do not Forget; True love | Freesia Innocence; Trust; Friendship | Galax Encouragement | Gardenia Purity; Sweet love; You’re lovely; Secret love; Refinement |
Geranium Folly; Stupidity | Gladiolus Strength of Character; Sincerity; Generosity; Natural Grace | Gloxinia Love at first sight | Grass Submission |
Heather/Erica Admiration; Solitude | Heather/Erica (White) Protection; Wishes will come true | Hibiscus Delicate beauty | Holly Foresight; Domestic happiness; Defence |
Hyacinth Gave; Sports; Rashness | Hyacinth (Blue) Constancy | Hyacinth (Purple) Please forgive me; Sorrow | Hyacinth (Red/Pink) Play |
Hyacinth (White) Loveliness; I’ll pray for you | Hyacinth (yellow) Jealousy | Hydrangea Thank you for understanding; Frigidity; Heartlessness | Iris Faith; Wisdom; Valour; Promise; My Compliments; Hope; Message |
Ivy Wedded love; Fidelity; Friendship; Affection | Jonquil/Narcissus Affection returned; sympathy; Desire; Love me | Lilac (purple)/Syringa First emotion of love | Lilac (white)/Syringa Youthful Innocence; Purity; Modesty; Virginity; Majesty |
Lily Calla/Zantedeschia Beauty | Lily (Day)/Hermerocallis Coquetry | Lily (Eucharis) Maiden Charms | Lily (Oriental/Tiger) Wealth; Pride; prosperity |
Lily of the Valley Sweetness; Humility; Return of happiness | November Lily/Longiflorum lilium Pure; Modest | Magnolia Love of nature; Nobility; Dignity | Marigold/Tagates Grief; Cruelty; Jealousy; Sacred affection; Despair |
Mimosa, bloom/ Acacia Concealed love; Sensitivity | Monkshood Chivalry; Beware; A Deadly foe is near | Moss Maternal love; Charity | Myrtle/Vinca Duty; Affection; Home; Love; Discipline; Instruction |
Narcissus Stay as sweet as you are; Egotism; Formality | Nasturtium Patriotism; conquest; Victory in battle | Oleander Caution; Beauty; Grace | Orange Blossom Purity; Innocence; Eternal love; Marriage; Fruitfulness; Loveliness |
Orchid Love; Beauty; Refinement; Beautiful Lady; Flower of magnificence | Orchid (Cattaleya) Mature charm | Palm Leaves Victory; Success | Pansy/Viola Thoughtful reflection; Merriment |
Paeony Bashfulness; Happy Marriage; Prosperity | Petunia Resentment; Anger; Your presence soothes me | Pine Hope; Pity | Poinsettia Be a good cheer |
Poppy/Papaver Eternal sleep; Imagination; Oblivion | Poppy/Papaver (Red) Pleasure | Poppy/Papaver (White) Consolation | Poppy/Papaver (Yellow) Wealth; Success |
Primrose/Primula I can’t live without you | Primrose (Evening) Inconstancy | Paper Daisy/ Xeranthemum Eternity; Immortality | Queen Anne’s Lace Haven |
Ranunculus Radiant; Charming | Rose (Red) Love; I Love You; Respect; Courage | Rose (Pink) Perfect happiness; Gentility; Grace; Please believe me | Rose (Deep Pink) Thank you |
Rose (Light pink) Admiration | Rose (Yellow) Friendship; Joy and happiness; Jealousy; Trying to care; Gladness | Rose (White) Innocence; Purity; Heavenly; Secrecy; Silence; Charm | Rose (Peach/Coral) Enthusiasm; Desire |
Rose (Orange) Enthusiasm; Desire | Rose (Red & White) Unity | Rose (Single Red) Simplicity; I love you | Rose (Long stemmed) I will remember you always |
Rose (Assorted Colours) You’re everything to me | Rose (Mature Blooms) Gratitude | Rose (Single Full Bloom) I love you; I still love you | Rosebud Beauty; youth; A heart Innocent of love |
Rosebud (Red) Pure; Lovely | Rosebud (white) Girlhood | Snapdragon/ Antirrhinum Gracious Lady; Deception; Presumption | Spider Flower Elope with me |
Statice Sympathy: Remembrance | Stephanotis Happiness in marriage; Desire to travel; come to me | Stock/Matthiola Lasting beauty; Bonds of affection; Promptness; You’ll always be beautiful to me | Sunflower/Hellianthus Adoration; Pride; Sunshine |
Sweet Pea/Lathyrus Delicate pleasures; Goodbye; Blissful pleasure; Departure; Thank you for a lovely time | Sweet William/Dianthus Barbatus Grant me one smile; Gallantry | Tulip Perfect lover; Fame; Love; Passion | Tulip (Red) Believe me; Declaration of love |
Tulip (Yellow) There is sunshine in your smile; Hopeless love | Tulip (Variegated) Beautiful eyes | Verbena Will you get your wish? | Veronica Fidelity |
Violet/Viola Modesty; Faithfulness; Virtue | Violet (blue) I’ll always be true; Watchfulness | Violet (White) Let’s take a chance on happiness | Wallflower Erysimum Fidelity in adversity |
Water Lily Purity of heart | Wisteria/Sinensis Welcome | Yarrow Healing | Zinnia Thoughts of absent friends |
Zinnia Thoughts of absent friends | Zinnia (Magenta) Lasting affection | Zinnia (Scarlet) Constancy | Zinnia (White) Goodness |
Zinnia (Yellow) Daily remembrance | Zinnia (Mixed) Thinking/In memory of an absent friend | | |
I warned you ~ there are some doosies in the list above!
Let me know what you think or if it will make a difference to your creativity with flowers into the future.
If you would like the list for your own reference, you can find it for download in the File Share
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