Tag: victorian language of flowers

January 2025 Newsletter/The Magic of the Carnation

February 13th, 2025

This February’s Flower is the Carnation. Mostly because I already highlighted the Rose here. When I think of February, I think of Valentine’s Day, and when I think of Valentines I think of Roses. But Carnation is a good choice as it’s a popular flower due to its ability to grow well, which makes it an affordable option for most people. When I think of Carnation I think of friendship more than romance. And that kind of goes along with this years Valentines theme for me personally. Don’t get me wrong, I like romance too, and my life has its fair share as I’ve been married for almost 30 years to my sweetheart. But sometimes friendship and self-love need to be celebrated too, and I have found myself more in the mood for that this season as I am super grateful for the community of friends I have this year.

A little Carnation history

The Carnation is one of the oldest cultivated flowers. It has been around since the Greek and Roman times. Some legends say that the Greek botanist Theophrastus gave the flower the scientific name of Dianthus which is a combination of the Greek words Dios, which means divine or “of Zues” and Anthos, the word for flower. So it was known as “The flower of Zues”.

Another legend of the Carnation is that the flower sprung up where each tear of the Virgin Mary fell after Christ’s crucifixion. And thus the name “Carnation” comes from Christ being the “incarnation” of God as man.

Originally a wild plant in Europe, it was introduced to England by the Normans and later cultivated and bred in many varieties by the Victorians in an almost endless variety of colors and variegations.

The Victorian Language of Flowers

Those of you who have been reading the blog regularly know about the Victorian Language of Flowers that sparked my interest a while ago. You can read more on that here. The diagram below shows how Carnation was used in this strange but obviously beautiful language among Victorian elites to say what they needed to say to one another.

Also- Carnation is the birth flower for those born in January! As much as I would have loved to highlight Carnation in January, Snowdrop went with the Imbolc post better. I try my best to make things flow, but sometimes I have to make choices on what flows best. Can you guess what flower is for February? Yep, just like mentioned above, it’s Rose. So I guess this is another reason to choose Carnation for this post since we already highlighted Rose…

This charming little flower works wonders as a substitute in spells for protection, healing, and cleansing. They are pretty easily sourced which makes them a great versatile and ready flower for spell work. We are neighbors with a cute little flower shop called “The Front Porch Flowers, and Carnations are almost always found in their cooler. So keep that in mind next time you need one, or just want to enjoy one!
January 2025 Newsletter/The Magic of the Snowdrop

January 26th, 2025

This month we are highlighting the Snowdrop flower. I must admit, I didn’t know much about this flower because it is not native to my area. (I can’t wait to highlight some of the flowers that are.) But it is a flower traditionally used in Imbolc celebrations and its meaning and correspondences go with this time of year perfectly.

Let’s start with a little basics about the Snowdrop-

The Snowdrop (Scientific name: Galanthus Nivalis) is a flower originally native to Europe and the Middle East, more specifically, regions like the Caucasus, Eastern Turkey, Northern Iraq, and Western Iran. The first recorded cultivation of the Snowdrop flower was in England in the 16th Century, but it is argued that they were brought over from either the Romans, or Norman monks much earlier than that.

Snowdrops were often one of the first blossoms to bloom at the end of winter, popping up through the blanket of snow and sending a sign that warm days were on their way. So naturally it was considered a flower of “Hope and New Beginnings”. The fact that the flowers survived the harshness of winter gave it, also, the association to “Resilience”. They are a hardy perennial, meaning they come back year after year, which may also contribute to their “Resilience” association.

If you have read any of my previous “Flower of the Month” posts, you know that I have a small fascination with the Victorian Language of Flowers. This is basically a way of communication created by upper class Victorian society that involves giving meanings to flowers to convey feelings and messages. By sending certain flowers to people for specific situations, you were saying something. On the graphic below, you can see some examples of how the Snowdrop was used to communicate in this way.

The Victorian Language of Flowers-

While the graphic above shows most of the happier or lighter associations of the Snowdrop, there were definitely some negative ones too. It was thought among some to be a bad omen to bring Snowdrops into the home, almost as if it was a harbinger of death, yikes!
But having Snowdrops in the garden were a welcome and happy thing, and even associated with higher status, as it was a much sought after flower during the time.

As mentioned above, I chose to highlight Snowdrop because of it’s association with Imbolc and the this particular season of the year. Imbolc is the halfway point from winter to spring, and so the Snowdrop gives us hope that any day, we can start seeing signs of spring and warmth again, and the return of the sun!

Be sure to check back here soon for a post on Imbolc, and how you can honor and celebrate the bringing in of the next season. Until then, be well!

Refrences:

A Victorian Flower Dictionary by Mandy Kirkby

Floriography by Jessica Roux