Flowers are the perfect gift for most occasions, whether it’s saying I’m sorry, thanking someone for a good turn, or marking an event such as Mother’s Day. In the Victorian era flowers took on far more symbolism and the type and color of flowers received often had a hidden message.
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue
Red roses have been traditionally associated with true love for centuries. One of Robert Burns’ most famous love poems is “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose” and there is nothing which quite surpasses a dozen red roses given as a token of undying affection.
White roses are said to signify purity, but if a Victorian gentleman gave his sweetheart pink roses, it meant he wasn’t keen on her enough to merit the red ones.
Violets stand for being faithful, so an item of flower jewelry featuring red roses and violets would mean passionate love, excluding all others.
Forget-Me-Nots
One of the most popular motifs used on flower jewelry and other items of this period was the forget-me-not. These are pretty little flowers which lend themselves well to being drawn or embroidered onto items and again, they mean true love. The very name of the flower is a plea to the recipient not to forget the giver and sends out a clear message about the depth of feeling.
Carnations
Carnations are one of the most popular flowers to be given as a gift, but the meaning associated with different colors of flowers is a minefield. For example, red carnations are said to mean passion, pink the affection between a parent and a child, and yellow carnations represent rejection. A whole conversation could be carried on by just giving and receiving carnations, as the striped varieties mean rejection or saying no, and purple means indecision.
Hyacinths
Like the other types of flowers, the color of the hyacinth sent or featured on the flower jewelry depended on the message that was being communicated. Yellow hyacinths represent jealousy, which may tell the recipient that their gentleman friend is not happy with the way they have been behaving. Purple hyacinths represent forgiveness, and are the flowers which would be sent when the relationship was going through a rocky patch. A white hyacinth tells the recipient that you are thinking of them and will pray for them too.
Men In Touch With Their Feminine Sides
In Victorian times, flowers were not seen as a gift for women. Men gave and received flowers, and often wore flowers in their lapels. Flowers were the predominant motif on china, stationery and clothing and both sexes took great care to ensure that the flowers they chose projected the correct message or image for them.
In the 21st century we dash into the supermarket, grab the first bunch of flowers we see within our price range and dash out again, 150 years ago people would spend hours choosing the correct type and color of flowers before sending them to their beloved. Maybe we should all take a leaf (or petal) out of their books?
About the author: This article was provided by Parriss Jewellers, a company that has been trading since 1892. They offer a great range of beautifully crafted flower jewellery as well as bespoke jewelry pieces.