floriography
DESCRIPTION
A fanzine created as part of Watts at Dusk at the Watts Studio.TRANSCRIPT
floriographythe secret language of flowers
the secret language of flowersFloriography is a means of communication whereby flowers are used to
communicate messages. This symbolic language has a long history but
it is perhaps most associated with the Victorian era when the flowers
were used to express thoughts and messages without words. Using
floral dictionaries it was common for people to exchange "tussie
mussies", small bouquets which could be worn as a fashion accessory.
The publication of The Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway in 1884
provided a handy way of quickly referencing plants and their meaning.
The language of flowers also found its way into literature and art,
bringing a symbolic subtext to the work. In Hamlet, Ophelia mentions
and explains the symbolic meaning of pansies, rosemary, fennel,
columbine, rue, daisy, and violets. Whilst Millais' Ophelia is the subject
of academic studies of the flowers in the painting and their meaning.
When AvantGardening was invited to join the Watts at Dusk event we
wanted to explore this old tradition and invite visitors to consider the
meanings of the flowers and to take and share plants and seeds from
our collection of native wildflowers. Visitors shared their messages with
us and helped to design this fanzine exploring the secret language of
flowers. We hope that it inspires you to start an exploration of this
beautiful secret language.
https://archive.org/stream/languageofflower00gree#page/n7/mode/2up
Explore the world of floriography by viewingKate Greenaway's Language of Flowers