About a year ago I posted a very brief introduction to floriography and cemetery symbolism as well as make a promise that my booklet was almost done. Dang, time flies doesn’t it? Well, I’m back with more focus on flowers in funerary art but still no booklet. D’oh! I started over in order to have something more zine-friendly but I hope to have something finished up in before FLUKE in March. *fingers crossed* But no promises because I tend to bite off more than I can chew with my goals and plans. That’s ok though. It’s still so much fun!
Back to floriography. I adore it. While I tend to focus more on the cemetery side (duh) that doesn’t mean that I skip over the fact that real flowers can convey messages from the heart. The basis of it all is that each flower has a meaning but it can beyond that into colors and even which way the bloom is bundled. When I gather up flowers for bouquets I often think about what story I want to tell to my friends with the blooms.
And you can even insult people with flowers (shoutout to petunias – meaning: you anger me), but of course I don’t do that with my friends. I save that idea for frenemies.
Victorian Era Floriography
The early Victorian Era, known as the Gilded Age here in the USA, was peak floriography as we now know it, although the movement has a history going back eons to Turkey and beyond. Victorians are often depicted as having very strict and prudish social norms, and very definitive roles for mid- and upper-class women including gardening and floral arrangement. However, they were also known for being obsessed with both declarations of love and with sex. Floriography and other cryptic languages of expression were the perfect outlets for this type of ‘on the surface vs what’s below.’ You could use these languages to express love, both genteel and forbidden, or to send more, uh, steamyforthetime messages to someone.
It seems a natural shift for the Victorian Era to move from the giving of real life flowers to carving them in stone for the dead since they so heavily favored symbolism as well as the idea of green spaces and gardens for expression. And many of the translations for the blooms cross over from bouquets, and there’s the addition of plants and trees and of all their meanings too. That makes for the ability to say quite a bit with a small amount of imagery.
This is a very short list of what you may find in a cemetery when you’re out and about. And it goes without saying that this list is not definitive. There are many more to include and the general meaning is just that. But it’s a great addition to my OG post and I even included some of my favorite books at the bottom of the list.
Acanthus — Eternal life
Anemone — Fleeting life
Aster — Patience
Bellflower — Mourning the departed
Buttercup — Gentle innocence
Camellia — Purity of character
Chrysanthemum — Honor
Cypress — Remembrance
Daffodil — Resurrection
Daisy — Innocence
Fern — Shelter
Forget-Me-Not — Remembrance
Gladiolus — Strength of moral character
Heather — Protection in the afterlife
Heliotrope — Devoted remembrance
Honeysuckle — Undying love
Hyacinth — Deep sorrow
Iris — Messages to heaven
Ivy — Enduring memory
Laurel — Spiritual protection
Lily-of-the-Valley — Restoration of happiness in the afterlife
Marigold — Grief & despair
Narcissus — Rebirth
Oak Leaves & Acorns — Strength & noble life
Palm Frond — Triumph of spirit
Primrose — Early death
Rose — Love that endures beyond death (full bloom)
Rosemary — Remembrance of the departed
Rue — Regret
Snowdrop — Hope after loss
Sweet Pea — Departure
Thyme — Courage and spiritual strength
Violet — Early death
Willow — Grief & lamentation
Wisteria — Passage of time
Yew — Mourning
Read & Watch to learn More
Excellent short article Written in Petals here.
As for books, I’d personally recommend this one to get started, this one for more about the folklore and meaning, and this one for cultures around the world.
What about YouTube? Go here for a quick video with lots of Victorian Era imagery.
Like podcasts? I got ya! Things You Should Know and Dressed: History of Fashion have fun and informational shows on the topic.
And keep your eyes peeled for my zine/booklet drop. Not only will I have one for the intrepid cemetery explorer, I’ll also have one for people looking to say a bit, well, more to matters through the giving of blooms. You’ll have to wait and see!
