What is the language of the flowers? At the most literal level, florists have long been keen to sell us on the symbology of certain species and colors. The nineteenth century, with its advances in climate-controlled growing and shipping and its tremendous expansion in rules of etiquette, saw a dramatic increase in the floral trade, and, not surprisingly, a flurry of books purporting to guide consumers on how to speak with flowers. One popular 1855 volume was called Flora’s Lexicon. The subtitle of an 1864 volume on “The Language and Sentiment of Flowers” promised that it contained “the name of every flower to which a sentiment has been assigned.” Such flower guides were essentially code manuals for senders and recipients. According to The Language of Flowers, published by F. Warne, a peach blossom meant “Your qualities, like your charms, are unequalled,” whereas a mignonette meant “Your qualities surpass your charms” and a spindle tree said “Your charms are engraven on my heart.” According to Arthur ­Freeling’s Flowers (1851), a bouquet with peach blossoms, box, cypress, marigold, carnation, and lily of the valley meant: “I am your Captive, but your Stoicism drives me to Despair; give me your Love, and return me to Happiness.”

All artwork by Julia Whitney Barnes, Nocturnal Nature series, watercolor, gouache, and cyanotype on cotton paper, 2020–2023.

Read the full article here