This summer, I had the pleasure of curating a reading room display on the language of flowers. As a cataloger, much of my recent work has been focused on enhancing bibliographic records, but with spring and summer in full bloom outside my window, I found myself captivated by the beautiful illustrations featured in many books about the language of flowers. I had the opportunity to explore the Society’s collection of annually issued periodicals and gift books and selected the most stunning flower illustrations for the display. Along with these, I included a few unexpected variations, such as a book on flower fortune-telling, a flower calendar with a different meaning for each day of the year, and a young girl’s manuscript filled with notes on flowers and their meanings. Overall, the eye-catching display — along with the thoughtful meanings and poetry that accompany each illustration — creates a feast for both the eyes and the heart.
For those unfamiliar with the language of flowers, it is a Victorian pastime that originated in France, then spread to England and eventually to the United States. The practice assigns symbolic meanings to flowers, which can be used to convey messages. For example, a rose signifies true love, while lilies symbolize mourning. However, as I delved deeper into the subject by reading Beverly Seaton’s comprehensive book, The Language of Flowers: A History, I discovered that the meanings of flowers are rarely consistent across different texts. Seaton also notes that, in reality, most flowers would not be in bloom simultaneously for a conversation, and suitors likely wouldn’t spend hours encoding their messages in flowers. Instead, these beautifully bound books were probably more decorative than practical, serving as coffee table books and idle entertainment in Victorian parlors rather than tools for crafting secret love notes.
Many American books on the language of flowers were created by women, as compilers or editors. The mid-1850s saw a vibrant culture of female authors who embraced the trend of language of flowers books in America. While some authors copied directly from their English counterparts, others included flowers native to North America or expanded the meanings of each bloom beyond romance, to include signifiers of friendship and marriage. Many books featured botanical notes on flower anatomy, fueling scientific curiosity and encouraging readers to look beyond the flowers’ aesthetic appeal.
One of my favorite discoveries is Flora’s Dictionary by Mrs. Elizabeth Washington Wirt, the first popular flower dictionary in America, published around 1837. One of the most comprehensive of the language of flowers books, it includes an extensive list of flowers not found in other dictionaries. Later editions also feature beautiful illustrations of flower bouquets. I particularly enjoy the meanings and accompanying verses in this dictionary. For instance, purple lilacs in Flora’s Dictionary represent “the first emotions of love,” which I find particularly charming.
Page 102 features an illustration of white and purple lilacs with lilies, forming a bouquet that echoes the meanings and poetry found on the facing page.
The next page, opposite the bouquet, shares the meanings of white and purple lilac.
If you have a chance to visit the American Antiquarian Society in the next few weeks, please stop by to view the language of flowers display. It’s an opportunity to explore the fascinating meanings people in the past ascribed to flowers. I hope you enjoy the display as much as I enjoyed curating it!
References
Seaton, Beverly. The Language of Flowers: A History. Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1995.
