The Language of Flowers, in 1856

"The Illustrated Language of Flowers"
Anna Christian Burke, via Google Books (1856)

"Preface

"In bespeaking for the 'Illustrated Language of Flowers' the favourable notice of her fair readers, the Editor cannot pretend to offer them anything decidedly novel either in material or arrangement. The meaning attached to flowers, to have any utility, should be as firmly fixed as possible; no licence whatever has therefore been taken in creating or changing meanings...."

The publisher, G. Routledge & Co., has London as a primary address, then New York - which helps explain some of the spelling. And remember, this book was written over a century and a half ago.

Despite the distinctly 19th-century style of the preface, the book itself is a set of lists: a "Dial of Flowers" for use by someone planing a flower clock; an alphabetic list of flower names with their associated meanings - from "Abecedary - Volubility" and "Abatina - Fickleness," to "Zephyr Flower - Expectation" and "Zinnia - Thoughts of absent friends;' and another list, sorted by meanings, from "Absence - Wormwood" and "Abuse not - Crocus" to "Zealousness - Elder" and "Zest - Lemon."

I'm not sure how practical the book is today, since few folks understand the language of flowers - but I enjoyed looking through it to see how people had assigned meanings to flowers - to a point where short messages could be sent without the use of words.

Despite that "illustrated" in the title, though, there are very few pictures in the book. That's not so much of a problem for me, since I'm mostly interested in the symbolism it records.

Related post:

• "Flower Lessons in Brooklyn"
  (February 4, 2010)

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A tip of the hat to jackiehodson, on BlogCatalog, who left a comment on the "The Language of Flowers: Who Knows Good Online Resources?" discussion thread that led me to "The Illustrated Language of Flowers."

Flower Lessons in Brooklyn

"The Arrangement | Flower Lessons in Red Hook"
T Magazine Blog, The New York Times (February 3, 2010)

"Sarah Ryhanen and Nicolette Owen discovered each other the way everyone does these days: online. Ryhanen owns Saipua, a flower shop in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where she also sells beautifully packaged soap made by her mother. ('Saipua' is Finnish for 'soap.') Owen runs her own Williamsburg-based flower biz focusing on private events. They are kindred spirits, who make stunning flower arrangements in the style of 'Oh, these wild things I just cut out back?' Of course, the flowers are particularly chosen and arranged — and not cheap.

"This past year, they decided to teach people how to make their own arrangements. The Little Flower School was born. Classes are held in a lofty workspace behind Saipua, which is the kind of salvaged, barn-wood-filled shop tucked behind a glass garage door that you just don't find in Manhattan...."

The post won't do you much practical good, unless you live in the Brooklyn area. Or are so motivated that you'll commute from wherever you are, to take those classes.

On the other hand, there are photos of some of the flower arrangements: and looking at those might brighten an otherwise dull day. Or hour. Well, they might perk you up for a minute or two.

Seriously? Flower arrangement is something that I've tried to do: without success. I understand the principles, but getting the things to go where they're supposed to - and stay there - is something that escaped me.

My hat's off to people who have the skill and talent.

I don't, as a rule, add links from the original articles and blog posts that I micro-review here. This is an exception, since the blog, at least, is well-illustrated with photos.

Again, that blog:

Flower School
With Sarah & Nicolette

Chrysanthemums, Mums, and Their Society

National Chrysanthemum Society USA

"The mission of the National Chrysanthemum Society is to: (1) educate by researching, teaching, and disseminating procedures for the propagation and cultivation of the chrysanthemum (2) improve the standard of excellence of the chrysanthemum (3) promote a wider interest in the cultivation of the chrysanthemum (4) encourage a greater use and display of the beautiful blooms of the many cultivars of the chrysanthemum and (5) increase the bonds of fellowship among growers of the chrysanthemum...."
("About Us" National Chrysanthemum Society USA)

Want to learn about chrysanthemums? This looks like a pretty good place to start.

They even have a page for you, if you want to start a chapter in your area.

I'll admit to liking these perennials: but not enough to get involved.

But, they're nice to look at. And I approve of decorative plants that are tough enough to come back more than two years in a row.

Hummingbirds: Rufous Hummingbirds in Oregon

"Rufous Hummingbird"
Birds Amoré (undated: copyright 2001-2007)


(from Birds Amoré, used w/o permission)

"Male Rufous Hummingbirds leave their wintering grounds in Central Mexico to arrive at our location in Waldport, Oregon, in February and March. During spring migration, they follow the Pacific coast. Some of these migrants will continue to head north so they can breed in Alaska...."

Yes: hummingbirds do perch now and again.

This page gives a pretty good general background on one sort of hummingbird - and hummingbirds in general. Along with some pretty good photos. Toward the bottom of the page is advice for attracting more hummingbirds, with links to pages about hummingbird-friendly plants for spring, summer and fall, and a (fairly) simple recipe for hummingbird nectar: it's the 1 unit sugar/4units water mix I use, with some fancy touches like boiling the water.

The author points out the bottom-line important point, whatever mix you use: keep the feeder clean. Hummingbirds don't like moldy food any more than we do.

The Language of Flowers: Does He Know What He's Saying?!

"Symbolism of Flowers or, the Language of Flowers"
Ready Reference Files, Santa Cruz Public Libraries

"While there is no uniformity of agreement concerning the symbolism of flowers, the following is a list of flowers and plants to which poetry, tradition, or usage has attached particular meanings...."

From Amaranth (Immortality) to Water Lily (Purity of heart), people have assigned meanings to flowers. The Santa Cruz public library system put together what looks like a pretty good resource for figuring out what that bouquet 'really means.'

But, ladies, a word of caution from someone in the other half of the human race: If he gives you a bouquet of marigolds and sage, it may just mean that he's a trifle eccentric, and lacks a good sense of smell. (According to this list, those flowers mean Happiness and Domestic bliss.)

Jack Ryan: Artist and TV's Jack Lord

Jack Ryan's paintings hang in over 40 museums, including

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Whitney Museum in New York
• The Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York
• Biblioteque Nationale in Paris
• The Library of Congress.

There's a pretty good biography of this Irish kid who made good at the Richmond Hill Historical Society's Jack Lord entry.

Contests and Blogs

I've no idea how effective this sort of thing is, for boosting traffic: but this blogger's contests are fun.

And, to toot my horn, I won one: "We have a free flowers winner - contest #6!."