THE LANGUAGE OF SPRING FLOWERS
When Spring Flowers Speak
“The Language of flowers is indeed as old as the hills; yet it can never become old, for every Spring reproduces its characters anew.”
-Robert, Tyas “Floral Emblems of Thoughts, Feelings, and Sentiments” (1875)
Sometimes, flowers speak louder than words and are easier for the romantics out there to understand. Every blossom has its own meaning in the Victorian Language of Flowers (or “floriography”) and our Spring favorites speak volumes. All the scarecrow wanted in “The Wizard of Oz” was to have a brain so he could confer with the flowers, and Alice discovered the garden of live flowers in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass.” The Tiger-lily confessed that, of course, flowers can talk—when there’s anyone worth talking to and that, usually, flowers are sleeping in their soft beds and cannot be bothered. Sometimes, we have to look back to our favourite childhood stories and Technicolor daydreams to be reminded of the innate whimsy in all things, even flowers.
When we realize that all flowers have a language, we may start to think of them differently (like a poet, perhaps). Peak Spring is known for daisies, sweet peas, tulips, daffodils, forsythia, and cherry blossoms. The daisies are particularly noisy in Wonderland, so much so that Alice must threaten to pick them! It is the Bellis perennis variety—also known as the English or “lawn daisy”—that blooms willy-nilly; they are so abundant and cheerful that we pick the wildflowers constantly and make chains and crowns out of them. We put them in our hair, for there is no symbol more iconic or recognizable than the hippie peace daisy. While white is the most common colour, daisies bloom in a range of hues (most notably the vivid gerbera variety).
May is officially the time of year for lily-of-the-valley and hawthorn. When lily-of-the-valley springs up with her tiny stature but enormous scent, we should think of purity and new beginnings. In the domain of flower speak, white is always associated with innocence. Because floral arrangements featuring lily-of-the-valley convey love and luck, they are often used at weddings. Kate Middleton carried an elegant bouquet with the tiny white flowers when she wed Prince William, while Elizabeth Taylor wore a Fabergé lily-of-the-valley brooch pinned to her turban as a glamorous ’70s bride. It’s no wonder these delicate bells are so decorated for the month of May when the weather is perfect and weddings are most ideal.
Hawthorns are so steeped in symbolism and are so prevalent in peak springtime that they’re used in May Day celebrations. Hawthorn is a tree or shrub in the rose family with red berries. When it blooms in the spring, it becomes lacy with pink or white blossoms. The ancient Greeks thought the frothy clumps of flowers represented a lasting union and so these were used at weddings, too. It was even thought that hawthorn possessed magical properties. The most revered poets—from Keats to Eliot—wrote of the beloved plant in her Maytime splendor.
While all Spring flowers represent new beginnings and hope, some are a little more specific. Sweet peas symbolize blissful pleasure and cherry blossoms are a reminder of fleeting beauty, while primroses and lilacs are the perfect posies to offer one’s first love. Tulips refer to deep and perfect love and are the ideal present for seasoned relationships. Forsythia and anemone signify anticipation and hellebores can even mean there’s scandal afoot. This comes from the dual properties of the flower: while it was once used as helpful medicine, it is also toxic if ingested and has been associated with witchcraft. Ranunculus is an emblem for charm and the hyacinth—one of Spring’s most iconic bloomers—denotes sincerity and constancy.
For more information on the flowers mentioned above and floriography, check out the links below:
https://www.bloomandwild.com/the-blog/floriography-language-of-flowers-meaning
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hawthorn
For all your Springtime floral needs, consult Chelsea Flowers on the website.