20.9

DEAD MEDIUM: FLOWER CODES

 * From: kadrey@well.com (Richard Kadrey) andfilmmag@well.com (Mikki Halpin)**

//Source: excerpted Romance of Flowers page sponsored by Interflora (http://www.interflora.com.au/rom_rom.htm); andalt.romance FAQ// ([|http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~fischer/alt.romance/flowers.html])

The Romance of Flowers

"History has it, that the first mention of the language-of-flowers custom was made by the most colourful Englishwoman of her time, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Lady Montagu was writing home from Constantinople in 1717 and her letters were later published in 1763 after her death.

"Language of flowers dictionaries which had their first popularity in Paris, were subsequently published in English with equal success. *Le Langage des Fleurs* by Mme. Charlotte de la Tour was the first flower dictionary, published in Paris in 1818. The great delight of the English in these books began in the day of George IV and continued through the early years of Queen Victoria's reign.

"The Americans were slower to become enthusiastic and started to take an interest somewhat later. 'Le Langage des Fleurs' ran to eighteen editions and Mme. Charlotte de la Tour was a toast of Paris society. It would have been to her displeasure that her book was pirated in America and Spain, although it proved flowers speak an international language.

"In the era of Victorian manners and morals with the accent on gentility, shy Victorians used language-of-flowers books to express their sentiments when they were loath to let words pass their lips.

"One Victorian writer declared that with the help of a flower language book, a courting couple walking decorously in the garden could present flowers to each other and carry on a conversation of considerable wit, compliments and flirtation banter."

[|http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~fischer/alt.romance/flowers.html]
 * from the alt.romance FAQ**

Flowers and their meaning


 * From: ae498@yfn.ysu.edu (Dawn Bott)**

"[...] this whole flower language started in Constantinople in the 1600s, and was brought to England in 1716 by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu who had spent time in Turkey with her husband. The interest then moved to France (of course) where the book 'Le Langage des Fleurs' was printed with over 800 floral signs. Many were toned down in the English translation at the time of Queen Victoria because they were quite lusty and risque!"


 * White rosebud** - heart ignorant of love
 * Crocus** - abuse not
 * Rhubarb** - advice
 * Indian jasmine** - attachment
 * Holly** - Am I forgotten
 * Deep red carnation** - Alas! for my poor heart
 * Deep red rose** - bashful shame
 * Full red rose** - beauty
 * Burgundy rose** - unconscious beauty
 * Unique rose** - call me not beautiful


 * Turnip** - charity
 * Chrysanthemum** - cheerfulness in old age
 * Buttercup** - childishness
 * Great yellow daffodil** - chivalry
 * Lettuce** - coldheartedness
 * Moss rosebud** - confession of love
 * Red poppy** - consolation
 * Red tulip** - declaration of love
 * yellow sweetbrier or yellow rose** - decrease of love
 * Mistletoe** - difficulties, I surmount
 * Yellow carnation** - rue, distain
 * Thornless rose** - early attachment
 * Anemone** - expectation
 * Scarlet poppy** - extravagance, fantastic
 * Blue violet** - faithfulness
 * Purple lilac** - first emotions of love
 * Forget-me-no**t - forget me not
 * Damask rose** - freshness
 * White rose** - I am worthy of you
 * Peach blossom** - I am your captive
 * Iris** - I have a message for you
 * White daisy** - innocence
 * yellow rose** - jealousy
 * dandelion** - love's oracle
 * Lotus flower** - estranged love
 * Ivy** - marriage
 * Provence rose** - my heart is in flames
 * yellow iris** - passion
 * Dog rose** - pleasure and pain
 * Christmas rose** - relieve my anxiety
 * Filbert** - reconciliation
 * Spanish jasmine** - sensuality
 * Peony** - shame
 * White poppy** - sleep
 * yellow chrysanthemum** - slighted love
 * Amaryllis** - splendid beauty
 * Honeyflower** - sweet and secret love
 * Pansy** - thoughts
 * Zinnia** - thoughts of absent friends
 * White and red rose together** - unity
 * Parsley** - useful knowledge
 * Pink carnation** - woman's love
 * lady slipper** - win me
 * Marigold** - vulgar minded
 * Rosemary** - your presence revives me
 * Ice plant** - your looks freeze me

From: jggoslin@vela.acs.oakland.edu (The Seventh Stranger)


 * The Language of Flowers.

Flowers may be combined and arranged so as to express even the nicest shades of sentiment.

If a flower is offered "reversed", its direct signification is likewise reversed, so that the flower now means the opposite.

A rosebud divested of its thorns, but retaining its leaves, convays the sentiment, "I fear no longer; I hope." Stripped of leaves and thorns, it signifies, "There is nothing to hope or fear."

A full-blown rose placed over two buds, signifies "Secrecy."

"Yes," is implied by touching the flower given to the lips; "No," by pinching off a petal and casting it away.

"I am," is expressed by a laurel leaf twined around the bouquet; "I have," by an ivy leaf folded together; "I offer you," by a leaf of Virginia creeper.**

COMBINATIONS.

Moss Rosebud and Myrtle. **A confession of love.** Mignonette and Coloured Daisy. **Your qualities surpass your charms of beauty.** Lily of the Valley and Ferns. **Your unconscious sweetness has fascinated me.** Yellow Rose, Broken Straw and Ivy. **Your jealousy has broken our friendship.** Scarlet Geranium, Passion Flower, Purple Hyacinth, and Arbor Vitae. **I trust you will find consolation, through faith, in your sorrow; be assured of my unchanging friendship.** Columbine, Day Lily, Broken Straw, Witch Hazel and Coloured Daisy. **Your folly and coquetry have broken the spell of your beauty.** White Pink, Canary Grass and Laurel. **Your talent and perseverance will win you glory.** Golden-rod, Monkshead, Sweet Pea and Forget-me-not. **Be cautious; danger is near; I depart soon; forget me not.**

ARBOR VITAE **- Unchanging friendship.** CAMELIA, WHITE**. - Loveliness.** CANDY-TUFF**. - Indifference.** CARNATION, DEEP RED**. - Alas! for my poor heart.** CARNATION, WHITE**. - Disdain.** CHINA-ASTER**. - Variety.** CLOVER, FOUR-LEAF**. - Be mine.** CLOVER, WHITE**. - Think of me.** CLOVER, RED**. - Industry.** COLUMBINE**. - Folly.** COLUMBINE, PURPLE**. - Resolved to win.** DAISY**. - Innocence.** DEAD LEAVES**. - Sadness.** DEADLY NIGHTSHADE**. - Falsehood.** FERN**. - Fascination.** FORGET-ME-NOT**. - True love. Forget me not.** FUCHSIA, SCARLET**. - Taste.** GERANIUM, SCARLET**. - Consolation.** GERANIUM, ROSE**. - Preference.** GOLDEN-ROD**. - Be cautious.** HELIOTROPE**. - Devotion.** HONEY-FLOWER**. - Love, sweet and secret.** HYACINTH, WHITE**. - Unobtrusive loveliness.** IVY**. - Fidelity.** LADY'S SLIPPER**. - Win me and wear me.** LILY, DAY**. - Coquetry** LILY, WHITE**. - Sweetness.** LILY, YELLOW**. - Gaiety.** LILY OF THE VALLEY**. - Return of happiness.** MIGNONETTE**. - Your qualities surpass your charms.** MONKSHEAD**. - Danger is near.** MYRTLE**. - Love.** OATS**. - The witching soul of music.** ORANGE BLOSSOMS**. - Chastity.** PANSY**. - Thoughts.** PASSION FLOWER**. - Faith.** PEACH BLOSSOM**. - I am your captive.** PEAR**. - Affection.** PRIMROSE**. - Inconstancy.** QUAKING GRASS**. - Agitation.** ROSE**. - Love.** ROSE, DEEP RED**. - Bashful shame.** ROSE, YELLOW**. - Jealousy.** ROSE, WHITE**. - I am worthy of you.** ROSEBUD, MOSS**. - Confession of love.** SHAMROCK**. - Lightheartedness.** STRAW**. - Agreement.** STRAW, BROKEN**. - Broken agreement.** SWEEP PEA**. - Depart.** TUBEROSE**. - Dangerous pleasures.** VERBENA**. - Prey for me.** WITCH HAZEL**. - A spell.

Richard Kadrey (kadrey@well.com) Mikki Halpin (filmmag@well.com).