In the 1800s, especially during the Victorian era, flowers weren’t just pretty gifts—they were secret messengers. This practice, known as “floriography,” turned bouquets into emotional telegrams. Since social norms at the time discouraged direct expressions of romantic interest or emotion, people used flowers to speak volumes without saying a word.
Each flower held a unique meaning: red roses signified passionate love, lilies stood for purity, lavender meant devotion, and yellow carnations symbolized disappointment or rejection. Even the way flowers were arranged or handed over carried subtle meaning. For example, presenting flowers upside down might imply the opposite of their usual meaning!
Though this coded communication has faded over time, many of the meanings have stayed with us. So the next time you receive (or give) flowers, think twice—there might be more to the message than meets the eye.