I will buy no more fuchsias or bougainvilleas. They don’t do well for me and coming to my house is a death sentence.
I grow other stuff well. So, that shouldn’t be a hardship.
Last Saturday, I went to a floriography workshop with a friend at Körner’s Folly in Kernersville, NC. We toured the house and made sachets and tussy mussies using plants from the garden at the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden nearby.
Aaaaaaand we got a handout with a list of Victorian plant meanings, which I’m going to partially transcribe here. Le Language des Fleurs by Charlotte de la Tour was first published in 1816. Although the use of floral messages had mostly faded by the beginning of WWI, there are still reminders in some of the choices we still make, now.
| Amaryllis | Pride |
| Aster | Daintiness |
| Baby’s breath | Purity and innocence |
| Basil | Hate |
| Belladonna | Silence |
| Camellia | Longing |
| Carnation | A mother’s eternal love |
| Cattail | Peace, prosperity |
| Chamomile | energy in adversity |
| Chrysanthemums | Condolences |
| Clematis | Cleverness, ingenuity |
| Clover | Good luck |
| Daffodil | Unrequited love |
| Dahlia | Eternal love, commitment |
| Daisy | Innocence, childhood |
| Dandelion | Divination, fortune-telling |
| Datura | Deceitful charms |
| Dogwood | Our love will overcome adversity |
| Eucalyptus | Protection |
| Fern | Magic, secrecy |
| Foxglove | Riddles, secrets |
| Gladiolus | You pierce my heart |
| Hawthorn | Hope |
| Heather | Luck, protection |
| Hellebore | We shall overcome scandal and slander |
| Honeysuckle | Devotion |
| Hyacinth | Please forgive me |
| Hydrangea | Boastfulness |
| Iris | Valor, wisdom, faith |
| Ivy | Fidelity |
| Laurel | Glory, victory, success |
| Lavender | Distrust |
| Lilac | First love, nostalgia |
| Lily | Purity |
| Magnolia | Dignity |
| Marigold | Grief |
| Mint | Consolation |
| Myrtle | Love |
| Nettle | Cruelty |
| Orange blossoms | Eternal love |
| Orchid | Elegance |
| Pansy | You occupy my thoughts |
| Passionflower | Faith |
| Peony | Bashfulness |
| Petunia | Anger, resentment |
| Poppy | Eternal sleep |
| Queen Anne’s Lace | Sanctuary |
| Rose | Love |
| Rosemary | Remembrance, wisdom |
| Snapdragon | Presumption |
| Sunflower | False riches |
| Sweet Pea | Thank you for a lovely time |
| Sweet William | Bravery |
| Tansy | Hostility |
| Tulip | Declaration of love |
| Violet | Modesty |
| Wheat | Riches, abundance |
| Willow | Mourning |
| Wormwood | Bitterness |
| Yarrow | Cure for a broken heart |
| Zinnia | Everlasting friendship |
I am the Audience 
What do you think?