People have used all sorts of manner and media to communicate discreetly in the public eye. Now that most people have internet access in their pockets, that function of society is played out by instant messaging, emojis, and reaction gifs. That wasn’t always the case, though. There was a time when flower language was the hip way to communicate.
Most people know that red roses represent romantic love; they're still the gift of choice for dates with a significant other. But what if you wished to express remorse or thankfulness? There are plants that convey those messages as well. In fact, the combination of various types of flowers can send quite specific and complicated messages.
Saying "Thank You"
To start things out in the realm of the familiar, there are many ways to convey gratitude through flowers and the practice is still somewhat common today. But rather than sending a random collection of flowers with a Hallmark card, you can create a bouquet that shows just how grateful you are. Some flowers you can use include:
Bellflower, for gratitude
Daisy, for gratitude
Parsley, for gratitude
Purple-leaf Sage, for gratitude
Lavender, for acknowledgement
Pink Hydrangea, for remembrance
Rosemary, for remembrance
Recognizing Platonic Friendship
It's no longer a thing for friends to give flowers to one another to show affection, but why not? Platonic relationships need attention, too, you know, and flowers can be a great way to show someone that you care. Flowers that can convey your friendship for someone include:
Forsythia, commenting on a person's good nature
Blue Hyacinths, for kindness
Wormwood, for affection
Crocus, for cheerfulness
Yellow Rose, for friendship
Ivy, for friendship
Acacia, platonic love
Recovering from Depression
With clinical depression on the rise in the U.S., a lot of people are looking for ways to send out good vibes to their loved ones. There are a variety of plants that are said to promote physical as well as emotional healing, and they can show someone that you support them when they’re down.
Willow, for calmness and serenity
Arborvitae, for unchanging friendship
Elderberry, for kindness
Pansy, for loving thoughts
Delphinium seed pad, for well-being
Feverfew, for health
Lemon balm, to drive away heavy thoughts
Goldenrod leaf, for encouragement
Lamb's ears, for support
Congratulations on a Successful Diet
It may seem silly to give someone flowers for following a diet, but let's be real, dieting is hard to do. If your friend kept their new year's resolution
all this time, they've earned the recognition! Some flowers you can use include:
Sweet Cicely, for gladness and sincerity
Fennel, to give praise
Ivy, for friendship
Chrysanthemum leaf, for optimism, cheerfulness, and a long life
Roses, to congratulate
Consolation for a Hangover
Did you encourage your friends to drink way too much last night? Did you cause them to have regrets? Make it up to them! You can craft a bouquet that is specifically designed to comfort them, while poking fun, of course.
Gilded rose, for excess
Butterfly bush, for rashness and wantonness
Hops, to signify beer and mirth
Marigold, for misery
Hen-and-chickens, to signify that you still welcome your friend home no matter how drunk they got
Pokeweed, to show that you're joking around
Wishing Someone Well on their Job Application
Getting a good job is difficult, and the search is a stressful time in any person's life. Here's how you can cheer on your fraught friends and help them feel like champions:
Vervain, for good fortune,
Buds (of any flower or plant), as a sign of good things to come
Pink coneflower, to indicate skill and capability
Clover, for good luck
Challenging a Rival
Do you want to fight someone? Do you need a creative callout that involves flowers? Look no further. Here's your chance to be secretly passive aggressive with that aunt that always shows up to family gatherings. You can finally express your need to fight your favorite celebrity in a way that's not going to end up on Jimmy Kimmel's mean tweets segment. Here's what you'll need:
Marigold, to indicate jealousy
Rocket, to indicate rivalry
Basil, for hatred
Sweet Williams, to indicate craftiness
Russian Olive, to indicate bitterness
Rue, to indicate disdain
(add Pokeweed if you don't actually want to throw down)