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Giving flowers to loved ones on special occasions has become so ingrained in our psyche that we seldom stop to think just how flowers managed to make it to the top honour. When did mankind decide that flowers could be eloquent messengers of love and passion all other emotions in between?
The Language of Flowers, as it is called, dates back to hundreds of years. Down the centuries, flowers have exerted a magical pull over the emotions of human being, with their fragrance, colours and variety. Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese all made liberal use of flowers in their stories as well as myths. Flowers held a special value for the ancient Greeks and were offered as wreaths to their gods.
Giving flowers to one another has been significant part of culture since medieval times, especially in Turkey. The English and the French soon discovered how important a role flowers played in the psyche of the Turkish people during the 1700s and they imported this idea back into their respective countries. Each flower had a different meaning, a different symbolism.
It was not until the Victorian age that flowers really came into their own! Society frowned on the open mixing of the sexes and public displays of affection were taboo. But couples in love hit upon an ingenious method of conveying their emotions to the loved one. Not only the flower itself, but even the way it was positioned, its size and colour could be decoded for a wealth of meaning!
Thankfully, nowadays, one is not hindered by such restrictions but flowers continue to hold the same sway over human emotions as they did back then during the dark ages.