Floriography ~ F and G flowers
Continuing on with a study in Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. For the first post covering A and B flowers, as well as a short history on the “language of flowers”, click HERE. For C and D flowers, click THIS LINK.
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight;
~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 2, Scene 1
Forget Me Not ~ True and undying love; true love and remembrance. Most stories and myths involving this flower took place in Germany and the surrounding countries, but an English name was in use by the beginning of the 1400 century in the rest of Europe. There’s a myth of two lovers walking along the Danube River first seeing the bright blue blossoms. The man retrieved the flowers for the woman, but he was swept away by the river and told her not to forget him as he floated away.
Foxglove ~ Insincerity. The name derives from the shape of the flowers resembling the fingers of a glove, originally “folk’s glove” meaning belonging to the fairy folk. Folklore tells that bad fairies gave the flowers to the fox to put on his feet to soften his steps whilst hunting. Another version is that the flower was rung as a bell by foxes to warn one another of hunters. According to Greek mythology, the goddess Flora took the head of a foxglove and slipped it over her finger, then tapped Hera on the chest and stomach as a method to impregnate Hera by the fatherless god Mars. The foxglove was believed to keep evil at bay if grown in the garden, but it was considered unlucky to bring the blooms inside. The commonest color for the foxglove is pink, but you often see white blooms in the hedgerows.
Freesia ~ Innocence; trust. All freesias represent trust and innocence, but the white freesia is used to symbolize the innocence and purity of the bride and the trust between the bride and groom.
Forsythia ~ Anticipation of an exciting moment. The flower was named in 1770 to honor William Forsyth, Scottish botanist, Royal Head Gardener, and founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Gardenia ~ You’re lovely; secret love; refinement; joy. In Victorian times a white gardenia flower worn on Mother’s Day represented the memory of a mother who had passed away, while a red gardenia worn on that day was thought to be a symbol of respect towards a living mother. These flowers are also thought to symbolize healing, purity and beauty. As a gift they can represent love from afar and may be given to a crush or unknowing friend, as they were often thought to say, “I am secretly in love with you.” Gardenias were regularly sent to beloved parties (usually in the form of a corsage) for special occasions like anniversaries, Valentine’s day, or just to tell someone they are loved.
Gerbera Daisy ~ Innocence; cheerfulness; hope. Throughout history, the gerbera daisy has symbolized the innocent hearts of children, and happiness and gratefulness for the life you have been given. The meaning is more energized than contentedness or mellowness. It is happiness that bubbles, fizzes and pops with joyous surprises. There is an energetic playfulness to these flowers, which is evident in all their radiant colors.
Gladiolus ~ Love at first sight; faithfulness, sincerity and integrity. As gifts, these flowers are given to represent remembrance, and are sometimes presented to recipients who have lost a dear friend or family member. On a lighter side, they are also meant to express the idea of someone’s heart being “pierced” with love, and are frequently traded between new and old lovers alike. The name of this flower can be loosely translated into the Latin word for sword due to the grass-like foliage resembling the blade of a sword.
Goldenrod ~ These flowers are thought to hold many symbols from caution to encouragement, luck to good fortune. As a gift, these blossoms are commonly given in a mixed bouquet, and are mostly presented to those venturing forth on new, but risky, ventures.
[…] Continuing on with my study in Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. For the first post covering A and B flowers, as well as a short history on the “language of flowers”, click HERE. For C and D flowers, click THIS LINK, and for F and G flowers this is the BLOG LINK. […]