The Victorians were quite clever with their ways of telling each other how they felt. These flowers would have been used to send kind regards to a friend or expressions of love. Any of them might have bee sent back in return.

forget-me-not

This one’s meaning is its name: forget me not. The simplicity of this pretty blue flower made its meaning resonate with everyone. The flower was considered an uncomplicated message of love. No doubt, it would be included in a Valentine’s Day bouquet, along with daisies, roses, pansies, and violets. The recipient might return more forget-me-nots on a card as a response.

It was also a way to tell a far-away friend that they were remembered and not to forget the friend who sent the flower.

fennel

This meaning surprised me: strength. The Victorians might use fennel with flowers of love to say a love is strong or with yellow carnations to say a rejection is strong (harsh!).

flax

I love that this rather unassuming plant could be used a way to say, “I feel your kindness.” I could grow flax in my entire yard and still not have enough to give to everyone who showed my girls and me kindness in the last nine months.

freesia

Freesia is beautiful, smells lovely, and meant lasting friendship.

Source: A Victorian Flower Dictionary: The Language of Flowers Companion by Mandy Kirkby. Ballantine Books, 2011.

Since I’m working on too many things at once (what else is new?) and I was late figuring out my list, I’ll be late adding images. Sorry. I want to be sure I get the right ones with the right copyright licensing. I know too many author friends who’ve been sued for copyright infringement for using images they thought were OK. 

Join me tomorrow for flowers that start with G. 🙂