Due to different flower meanings, there may be more to that bouquet you just got than you think. Flowers have traditionally held different meanings when presented as a gift, and understanding what each type of flower represents may make the intentions of the giver much clearer. According to Victorian-era men and women, you could tell a person's thoughts based on the love symbols he presented.
Passionate Love: Among the flowers that symbolize the intense and powerful love of early courtship are the lemon verbena, pansy, campion, primrose, red rose, tulip and coriander.
Eternal Love: Give amaranth, ambrosia, arbutus, aster, baby's breath, red chrysanthemum, coxcomb, forget-me-not, myrtle and white rose for the love of your life.
Secret Love: When the giver wishes to confess feelings of love, look for diosma, gardenia, gladiolus, fern and acacia.
Friendship: If these flowers arrive in your bouquet, the giver considers you a wonderful friend: arbor vitae, ivy, yellow rose, snowdrop, zinnia and honeysuckle.
Flirtation: These flowers let the recipient know that someone is interested in getting closer: aster, anemone, azalea, buttercup, cowslip, gloxinia, gooseberry, daisy, hibiscus, jasmine, lily, lady's slipper or viscaria.
Marriage-Minded: For a formal proposal, a man would give his sweetheart a bouquet containing one or more of these: phlox, pussy willow, sweet William, Veronica or myrtle.
Proposal Accepted: A woman accepting a proposal might speak her mind using ambrosia, forsythia, jonquil, rosebuds, rose leaf, stephanotis and white violets.
Rejection: When someone wanted to send the message that she was not interested in the other person's advances, a bouquet might consist of oleander, larkspur, striped or yellow carnation, yellow chrysanthemum and cyclamen. The rejected person might also get a bouquet of withered flowers.
Apologies: When someone wished to communicate an apology, purple hyacinth, bluebell, lilac, hydrangea, violet and woodruff would be included in the floral presentation.
A flower's colors could also clarify the message. Traditionally, red is the love symbol of emotions, such as love and passion. Pink is also a love color, but more of admiration than of passion. While is peace and innocence, while the peach flower meaning is linked to gratitude or affection. Yellow can often mean friendship, but also rejection and jealousy. Lavender is more formal, with pride, admiration and refinement represented as a flower meaning.
 | Love is a powerful emotion, celebrated and immortalized in symbols of love by cultures throughout history and around the world. These symbols are generally taken from ancient associations and superstitions with nature, fertility and passion. |
 | Some of the most modern images signifying love are actually ancient love symbols from around the world. You might be surprised at the meanings behind of the most well-known love symbols. |
 | Flowers are a wonderful and romantic gesture, but what is the meaning of rose colors? You may want to pick up roses that are a little bit different, but you don't want to offend the object of your affections, either. |
Luckily, roses aren't the only flowers that indicate romance. The language of flowers is full of nuances, and a different flower can represent a different sentiment. |
When you want to express your love, sometimes your own language just won't do, and that's where Italian love sayings come in. |
