Victorian Flowers and Traditions

Flowers are my passion and when I was asked to set a table for a benefits banquet using a floral centerpiece and eight place settings I found the Victorian Era theme fit my love of flowers. This era was named for Queen Victoria who ruled England from 1837 to 1901, whose enthusiasm for flower designs was a time of elegance for all things flower. They decorated not only with flower arrangements in a vase but also with flowers on plates, tea pots and in pictures for the walls, and their use of flowers was displayed in all their treasures. The Victorian women would often wear flowers in their hair, on their arm or around their neck. Their love of flowers was a way of expressing affection, and was given to friends and lovers according to the message they wanted to express, for the Victorians knew the meaning of flowers. Their floral arrangements were, formal, proper, opulent, lavish and showy. Aristocratic members of society would exhibit wealth by creating large, excessive, luxurious and often overdone flower arrangements.

In the fifteenth century the nosegay (an appeal to the nose), flowers or herbs tied together with a sweet-smelling fragrance was worn around the neck for a satisfactory smell, and to mask foul odors. Proper women of the Victorian Era society carried these bouquets at most social gatherings and Judges would often carry them into their court room and wear around their neck to ward off the unpleasant smell of the streets.

In the mid-19th century Victorian England the tussie-mussie (small bouquet of flowers) were exchanged between Victorian sweethearts expressing secret love messages; a gift of a traditional Valentine flower unique and personal and very fashionable. Victorians considered a young lady to be cultured if she understood the study of flowers.

The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography was a way of communicating in Europe in the 1800's and during the Victorian era. In the Victorian time the most popular flower was the rose, the meaning of love and it was almost always required for a flower arrangements. Following are other appropriate flower meanings, and it is said that knowing the meaning of floral language was as important as appearing well dressed in a public place:

• Lavender - luck, forgiveness
• Marjoram - blushes
• Rosemary - remembrance
• Lilac - love's first emotion
• Orange Blossom - chastity
• Carnation - pure love
• Rose (white) - innocent love
• Rose ( red) - passion
• Rose ( pink) - romantic love
• Star-of-Bethlehem - reconciliation
• Witch Hazel - a spell
• Sweet Pea - delicate pleasures
• Ivy - wedded love
• Holly - domestic happiness.

In this era the key word was romance and it was said with flowers however, careful consideration should be taken when conveying a message. I have come to appreciate this expressive and elaborate flower arrangements and designs and have adapted it as my own and it has become my design and technique as my signature.

As my passion of working with flowers grows I have enjoyed this study of Victorian Era, with their many traditions and impressive ideas, I saw this as fascinating and impressive time spent. I look forward to developing my own designs to imitate their elaborate and luxurious creations. With each design I studied it was like stepping into the past and living among new friends which was both inspiring and creative. http://www.floralcreationsinspired.com

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