The Little Book of Floriography: The Secret Language of Flowers

Floriography is the ancient art of encoding hidden messages in the type, color, and arrangement of plants. This beautifully illustrated gift book gives the botanical name, description, and significance of each plant, as well as how it has been used in literature and art. It also reveals how floral symbolism has been used to convey feelings and can add an extra layer of beauty and significance to a gift of flowers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 09 November 2023
Publisher: Welbeck Publishing Group

Floriography, the ancient art of encoding hidden messages in the type, color, and arrangement of plants, allows individuals to express emotions and sentiments that they may not be able to articulate through words. This beautifully illustrated gift book features 100 of the most popular and available blooms from around the world, giving the botanical name for each plant, a description of its significance and place in folklore, and the story behind its meaning. It also reveals how floral symbolism has been used over the centuries in literature and art, from Hamlet's Ophelia handing out rosemary for remembrance and pansies for thoughts to Oscar Wilde urging his friends to wear green carnations as a subtle code for homosexuality. The idea that flowers have secret meanings would have been well understood by contemporary audiences, and we are seeing a revival of the practice today. From mimosa, which signifies chastity because its leaves close when touched, to the varied messages encoded within different colors of geraniums, floriography offers a creative way to convey feelings and can add an extra layer of beauty and significance to a gift of flowers.

The flowers in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet signified love, happiness, gallantry, and fidelity. If someone sends you a bouquet of hydrangea and lobelia, beware: they stand for heartlessness and malevolence.

Weight: 244g
Dimension: 120 x 145 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800695399