The Language of Flowers

“Earth laughs in flowers.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

As long I can remember I have always loved flowers.  One of my favorite things to do is walk through the flower department in our local grocery store and take in the beautiful colors, varieties, and scents.  They warm my heart, lift my spirit, and, as if that were not enough, they speak to me whispering sweet feelings of love and emotion. 

Flowers have been speaking to people for all time.  Words can often complicate communication while flowers will speak right to the heart.  During the Victorian Era under Queen Victoria’s reign (1837 – 1901) floriography was introduced.  It was a 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.  Some of my favorites are:  Rosemary for remembrance; red Roses for true love;  Gardenias for you're lovely, secret love, joy, sweet love, and good luck; white Carnations for sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, and faithfulness; Geranium for gentility; Iris for good news; Poppy for eternal sleep, oblivion, and imagination; and Thyme for thriftiness.

There is a corner in my yard that has proven pretty useless for grass, it is very sunny and I believe it would serve well as a place for a cutting garden.    I would like to trim it in a white picket fence with a gate and plant roses all around.  The thought of being able to have a fresh cut bouquet at least once a week really appeals to me.

I’ll have to wait yet a few more months to see any projects on my list come to life, so in the meantime I will put some red roses by my bed to remind me each morning of God’s love for me,  Rosemary in the garden to remember my mother’s influence and how it inspires me daily,  potted Gardenias to reflect the joy and loveliness of the spirit-filled life, white
Carnations in a vase on the dining room table that speak of the gentle love and faithfulness of my precious husband, Geraniums at the front door to consider the importance of hospitality, Iris by the gate to reflect on the good news that enters in our lives much more than we deserve, Poppies in the flower bed to reflect on how Spring brings earth back to life after a long winter’s sleep, and Thyme in the pot of herbs take account of how important it is to be a good manager of all God has given me.

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”  Song of Solomon 2:1