From Time immemorial, lovers have employed the symbolism inherent in flowers to express the feelings of their hearts. The Turks organized that symbolism into a formalized language by the 1600's.

Then, in the early 18th century, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, wife of the British ambassador to Constantinople, imported that romantic "secret language of flowers" to Europe. It caught on like wildfire and spread rampantly. The first dictionary of flowers, Le Language des Fleurs, was printed in Paris in 1818.

From the Heart

Remember when you were little, picking a bunch of wild flowers and holding them out, clutched in your little hand, for a loved one? Remember the feeling you had — that you were really communicating something to the person you were holding them out to? The flowers you give to your valentine can be just as expressive.

Spell It Out

Instead of the same old dozen roses, try choosing the flowers for your bouquet while keeping the sentiments you would like to express in mind. "Spell out" your feelings eloquently and uniquely with flowers chosen for their specific meaning.

A rose is a rose is a rose, right? Well, actually that depends. A flower can have meanings depending upon its size and color. The Damask rose connotes freshness, the Provence rose says "My heart is in flames" and the Dog rose speaks of "pleasure and pain."

Parlez vous Fleurs?

Link to list of flowers and their different meanings