I was raking leaves this afternoon and even though it is mid-November I realized that there were quite a few flowers still blooming. I cut the last two roses from the bush and picked some mums and brought them inside. I have alyssum, petunias, sedum and a huge-flowered sunflower remaining outside-all in full bloom.
Though most autumn flowers don't have a scent (or a nice scent), they do have something to "say". As most of you know, the women in Victorian times loved flowers and often sent specific flowers or a combination of flowers in order to convey a particular message. This language of flowers is also known as floriography. The study of the symbolism and sentiments of flowers had been around long before Queen Victoria made it so popular in Great Britain. In the earliest Chinese dynasties people were using flowers to send coded messages. This oriental flower language was called Selam. Color plays an important part in this flower language; the same flower, but in a different color, can lend an entirely new slant to the message. Fruits, nuts, trees and shrubs also have meanings in the language of flowers. I have pale pink and pale yellow chrysanthemums; red chrysanthemums mean "I love" and yellow ones mean slighted love, so when the paler colors are paired together does that mean I don't love as much so you shouldn't feel so slighted? Alyssum means sweet, worth beyond beauty. The sunflower denotes admiration and gratitude. Sedum says tranquility. My pale pink roses mean friendship and happiness. I couldn't find any meaning for petunia, but I love them just the same. Even my grass has meaning-submission and utility. I guess the grass is submissive when you mow it!
Juniper shrubs are planted on either side of the front porch; juniper means succor and protection. It sure was a good choice for the two sites, as they guard the entrance to my home! I did not know their meaning at the time I bought them many years ago, nor did I know the meaning of any of the other plants that I have put in the gardens. Over all, most of the messages of the numerous flowers and bushes have a good meaning. Luckily I didn't put any cypress anywhere on my property-cypress means death, mourning and despair. I really do not worry about the hidden language in flowers. I love to garden and I buy whatever suits the particular site requirements.
I was surprised to discover that leaves also have meaning, and live leaves have a different meaning than dead leaves. Live maple means reserve; live oak means liberty. I have a lot of fallen walnut leaves from my two walnut trees-walnut means intellect. (I like that one!) Dead leaves, on the other hand, represent sadness-an appropriate sentiment for this time of year, since this is the end of the growing season for this year.
Of course, the flowers of autumn aren't the only ones that have meaning. All flowers in all seasons have symbolism and sentiments attached to them. Perhaps in the middle of winter when everything is dreary and spirits need lifting, I'll explore some more in the language of flowers.
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