Around many flowers a consistent and well understood symbolism has gathered, but the Orientals have developed this into a perfect vehicle for communicating sentimental and amatory expressions of all degrees of warmth. In this manner a cluster of flowers can be made to express any sentiment, if care is taken in the selection.

If a flower is offered reversed, its original signification is contradicted and the opposite implied.

A rosebud divested of its thorns, but retaining its leaves, conveys 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 And Symbols

Mignonette, Colored Daisy,

Your qualities sur-pass your charms of beauty.

Lily of the Valley, Ferns,

Your unconscious sweetness has fascinated me.

Yellow Rose, Broken Straw. Ivy,

Your jealousy has broken our friendship.

Scarlet Geranium, Passion Flower, Purple Hyacinth, Arbor Vitae.

I trust you will find consolation through faith in your sorrow; be assured of my unchanging friendship.

Moss Rosebud, Myrtle,

A confession of of love.

Columbine, Day Lily, Broken Straw, Witch Hazel, Colored Daisy,

Your folly and coquetry have broken the spell of your beauty.

White Pink, Canary Grass, Laurel,

Your talent and perseverance will win you glory.

Golden Rod, Monkshead. Sweet Pea, Forget-me-not.

Be cautious: danger is near; I depart soon: forget me not.

Arbor Vitae

Unchanging friendship.

Camelia, White

Loveliness.

Candy-Tuft

Indifference Carnation, White. - Disdain.

China Aster

Variety.

Clover, Four-Leaf

Be mine.

Clover, White

Think of me.

Clover, Red

Industry.

Columbine

Folly.

Daisy

Innocence.

Daisy, Colored. - Beauty.

Dead Leaves

Sadness.

Deadly Nightshade

Falsehood.

Fern

Fascination.

Forget-Me-Not

Forget-me-not.

Fuchsia, Scarlet

Taste.

Geranium, Horseshoe

Stupidity.

Geranium, Scarlet

Consolation.

Geranium, Rose

Preference.

Golden-Rod

Be cautious.

Heliotrope

Devotion.

Hyacinth, White

Loveliness.

Hyacinth, Purple

Sorrow.

Ivy

Friendship.

Lily, Day

Coquetry.

Lily, White

Sweetness.

Lily, Yellow

Gayety.

Lily, Water

Purity of heart; elegance.

Lily Of The Valley

Unconscious sweetness.

Mignonette

Your qualities surpass your charms.

Monkshead

Danger is near.

Myrtle

Love.

Oak

Hospitality.

Orange Blossoms

Chastity.

Pansy

Thoughts.

Passion Flower

Faith.

Primrose

Inconstancy.

Rose

Love.

Rose, Damask

Beauty ever new.

Rose, Yellow

Jealousy.

Rose, White

I am worthy of you.

Rosebud, Moss

Confession of love.

Smilax

Constancy.

Straw

Agreement.

Straw, Broken

Broken agreement.

Sweat Pea. Depart.

Tuberose

Dangerous pleasures.

Thistle

Sternness.

Verbena

Pray for me.

White Jasmine

Amiability.

Witch Hazel

A spell.