Flower & Herb Language Gardenia Geraniums (Pelargonias)
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FLOWER AND HERB LANGUAGE


Flowers and herbs were once a language in themselves. In Victorian times, a presentation of rosemary meant "please remember me", forget-me-nots say " I love you", heather says "I admire you", sage denotes esteem and thyme allows you to commune with fairies! Of course these are just a few. It would take another book to go into the language of plants! One of these days I will visit the library and see what they all are! Trouble is, if I were the only one to know what they mean.....no one would know what *I* mean! During prohibition days if a mobster got a bouquet of white lillies, he'd better get lost! Now, they are presented at Easter-time as a gift of effection...............I hope..........cause * I've* gotten them at Easter.....you don't think......you don't suppose...?????????.

WHAT'S in a NAME ?

On Jan 15th 1998,
Angie Brockus , a long time 'net-buddie', after reading the above, sent me this listing of the languages. I call it ' the language of flowers.' I don't know how authentic this is.. WHO KNOWS ?!

    FLOWER LANGUAGE

  • ACACIA -Concealed Love, Beauty in Retirement, Chaste Love
  • AMBROSIA - Your Love is Reciprocated
  • AMARYLLIS - Pride, Pastoral Poetry
  • ANEMONE -Forsaken
  • ARBUTUS -Thee Only Do I Love
  • ASTER - Symbol of Love, Daintiness
  • AZALEA - Take Care of Yourself for Me, Temperance, Fragile, Passion, Chinese Symbol of womanhood
  • BACHELOR BUTTON - Single Blessedness
  • BEGONIA - Beware
  • BELLS OF IRELAND - Good Luck
  • BITTERSWEET - Truth
  • BLUEBELL - Humility
  • CACTUS - Endurance
  • CAMELLIA (PINK) - Longing for you
  • CAMELLIA (RED) - You're a Flame in My Heart
  • CAMELLIA (WHITE) - You're Adorable
  • CARNATION (GENERAL) - Fascination, Woman Love
  • CARNATION (PINK) - I'll Never Forget You
  • CARNATION (RED) - My Heart Aches For You, Admiration
  • CARNATION (PURPLE) - Capriciousness
  • CARNATION (SOLID COLOR) - Yes
  • CARNATION (STRIPED) - No, Refusal, Sorry I Can't Be With You, Wish I Could Be With You
  • CARNATION (WHITE) - Sweet and Lovely, Innocence, Pure Love, Woman's Good Luck Gift
  • CARNATION (YELLOW) - You Have Disappointed Me, Rejection
  • CATTAIL - Peace, Prosperity
  • CHRYSANTHEMUM (GENERAL) - You're a Wonderful Friend, Cheerfulness and Rest.
  • CHRYSANTHEMUM (WHITE) - Truth
  • CHRYSANTHEMUM (YELLOW) - Slighted Love
  • CROCUS - Cheerfulness
  • CYCLAMEN - Resignation and Good-bye
  • DAFFODIL - Regard, Unrequited Love, You're the Only One, The Sun is Always Shining when I'm with You
  • DAISY - Innocence, Loyal Love, I'll Never Tell, Purity
  • DANDELION - Faithfulness, Happiness
  • FERN - Magic, Fascination, Confidence and Shelter
  • FIR - Time
  • FLAX - Domestic Symbol
  • FORGET-ME-NOT - True Love, Memories
  • FORSYTHIA - Anticipation
  • GARDENIA - You're Lovely, Secret Love
  • GERANIUM - Stupidity, Folly
  • GLADIOLI - Give Me a Break, I'm Really Sincere, Flower of the Gladiators
  • GLOXINIA - Love at First Sight
  • HEATHER (LAVENDER) - Admiration, Solitude
  • HEATHER (WHITE) - Protection, Wishes Will Come True
  • HOLLY - Defense, Domestic Happiness
  • HYACINTH (GENERAL) - Games and Sports, Rashness, Flower Dedicated to Apollo
  • HYACINTH (BLUE) - Constancy
  • HYACINTH (PURPLE) - am Sorry, Please Forgive Me, Sorrow
  • HYACINTH (RED OR PINK) - Play
  • HYACINTH (WHITE) - Loveliness, I'll Pray for You
  • HYACINTH (YELLOW) - Jealousy
  • HYDRANGEA - Thank You for Understanding, Frigidity, Heartlessness
  • IRIS - Fleur-de-lis, Emblem of France, Your Friendship Means so Much to Me, Faith, Hope, Wisdom and Valor, My Compliments
  • IVY - Wedded Love, Fidelity, Friendship, Affection
  • JONQUIL - Love Me, Affection Returned, Desire, Sympathy, Desire for Affection Returned
  • LARKSPUR (PINK) - Fickleness
  • LILY (WHITE) - Virginity, Purity, Majesty, It's Heavenly to be with You
  • LILY (YELLOW) - I'm Walking on Air, False and Gay
  • LILY (CALLA) - Beauty
  • LILY (DAY) - Coquetry, Chinese Emblem for Mother
  • LILY (EUCHARIS) - Maiden Charms
  • LILY (TIGER) - Wealth, Pride
  • LILY OF THE VALLEY - Sweetness, Tears of the Virgin Mary, Return to Happiness, Humility, You've Made My Life Complete
  • MAGNOLIA - Nobility
  • MARIGOLD - Cruelty, Grief, Jealousy
  • MISTLETOE - Kiss me, Affection, To Surmount Difficulties, Sacred Plant of India
  • MONKSHOOD - Beware, A Deadly Foe is Near
  • MOSS - Maternal Love, Charity
  • MYRTLE - Love, Hebrew Emblem of Marriage
  • NARCISSUS - Egotism, Formality, Stay as Sweet as You Are
  • NASTURTIUM - Conquest, Victory in Battle
  • OLEANDER - Caution
  • ORANGE BLOSSOM - Innocence, Eternal Love, Marriage and Fruitfulness
  • ORANGE MOCK - Deceit
  • ORCHID - Love, Beauty, Refinement, Beautiful Lady, Chinese Symbol for Many Children
  • ORCHID (CATTLEYA) - Mature Charm
  • PALM LEAVES - Victory and Success
  • PEONY - Shame, Happy Life, Happy Marriage
  • PETUNIA - Resentment, Anger, Your Presence Sooths Me
  • PINE - Hope, Pity
  • POPPY (GENERAL) - Eternal Sleep, Oblivion, Imagination
  • POPPY (RED) - Pleasure
  • POPPY (WHITE) - Consolation
  • POPPY (YELLOW) - Wealth, Success
  • PRIMROSE - I Can't Live Without You
  • PRIMROSE (EVENING) - Inconstancy
  • ROSE (BRIDAL) - Happy Love
  • ROSE (DARK CRIMSON) - Mourning
  • ROSE (HIBISCUS) - Delicate Beauty
  • ROSE (LEAF) - You May Hope
  • ROSE (PINK) - Perfect Happiness, Please Believe Me
  • ROSE (RED) - Love, I Love You
  • ROSE (TEA) - I'll Remember Always
  • ROSE (THORNLESS) - Love at First Sight
  • ROSE (WHITE) - Innocence and Purity, I am Worthy of You, You're Heavenly, Secrecy and Silence
  • ROSE (WHITE AND RED MIXED) - Unity, Flower Emblem of England
  • ROSE (WHITE-DRIED) - Death is Preferable to Loss of Virtue
  • ROSE (YELLOW) - Decrease of Love, Jealousy, Try to Care
  • ROSEBUD - Beauty and Youth, A Heart Innocent of Love
  • ROSEBUD (RED) - Pure and Lovely
  • ROSEBUD (WHITE) - Girlhood
  • ROSEBUD (MOSS) - Confessions of Love
  • ROSES (Bouquet of Mature Blooms) - Gratitude
  • ROSES (Single Full Bloom) - I Love You, I Still Love You
  • SMILAX - Loveliness
  • SNAPDRAGON - Deception, Gracious Lady
  • SPIDER FLOWER - Elope with Me
  • STEPHANOTIS - Happiness in Marriage, Desire to Travel
  • STOCK - Bonds of Affection, Promptness, You'll Always Be Beautiful to Me
  • SWEETPEA - Good-bye, Departure, Blissful Pleasure, Thank You for a Lovely Time
  • TULIP (GENERAL) - Perfect Lover, Frame, Flower Emblem of Holland
  • TULIP (RED) - Believe Me, Declaration of Love
  • TULIP (VARIEGATED) - Beautiful Eyes
  • TULIP (YELLOW) - There's Sunshine in Your Smile
  • VIOLET - Modesty
  • VIOLET (BLUE) - Watchfulness, Faithfulness, I'll Always Be True
  • VIOLET (WHITE) - Let's Take a Chance
  • ZINNIA (MAGENTA) - Lasting Affection
  • ZINNIA (MIXED) - Thinking (or In Memory) of an Absent Friend
  • ZINNIA (SCARLET) - Constancy
  • ZINNIA (WHITE) - Goodness
  • ZINNIA (YELLOW) - Daily Remembrance
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GARDENIAS

Kathy gave me a green glass bottle with a rooted slip. I dug a hole,put potting soil then water in it, let the water settle, made a mound in the middle, spread the roots a well as I could,more potting soil over the roots, firmed the soil, and poured a bit more water over it. remove the air spaces. Found a pump for the little green bottle and use it for dish detergent. It's handy in the kitchen window where the sun shines through the glass. I think of Kathy everytime I see the plant or wash dishes.

The slip was a slow grower, but now it is about 3 feet tall and full of these lovely blooms. The scent is one of nostalgia. It's perfume is strong; it wafts through the garden and brings back memories. The Gardenia was a flower that, back in the 1940's, was the popular flower for the girls to wear at the high school prom.

The soil where it is planted is pretty heavy, and I finally, this year, dressed around the plant with composted sheep manure and it really sprung to life. Gardenias are sometimes prone to scale and mildew, but a soap spray with either vinegar or baking soda or an insecticide in it seems to help.[ I use 1 tsp soap [not laundry detergent] and 1 tsp vinegar or two tsp baking soda to a gallon of water] in a small hand held spray bottle. Only spray where needed as this will kill beneficials.

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GERANIUMS (PELARGONIUM)

Geraniums are usually pretty forgiving but if you see little wedge shaped , irregular or round brown spots on the leaf margins, they are probably catching a case of 'bacterial leaf spot'. Usually the older leaves are the ones that are effected the most. They just get ugly and drop off. When it gets into the mainstream of the plant, it dies.

Another problem that occasionally occurs is a black moldy looking disease. The plant stems turn black and is especially bad news for cuttings. It has no respect for age, however, and will attack the mature plants. It attacks at the base of the plant and works its way to the top, getting progressively blacker. Nasty disease. I don't know what it is called, but it helps to keep the plant reasonably well fed, plenty of sun and probably less water than they have been getting or better drainage.

I have one garden area that is rather thin sandy soil that drains very quickly and has spotted shade morning and evening with very hot midday sun and the geraniums just set there and look ugly, even when I fertilize them. ( I got desperate and put some of the 'blue water' on them.] They just were not comfortable there. So they died. I put the next ones in another area where they get more morning sun clear up til late afternoon with more loamy soil and so far they have done well.

SCENTED GERANIUMS
Place leaves in a bowl and crumple them to scent a room. Brush by this plant and the scent is fabulous! Plant one near a path where it is 'kinda' in the way!. There are several specie..shop around a bit and find ones that are the most ethereal to you. I like the lemon rose real well. It is a bit strong and sometimes I feel it a bit overwhelming, but where you get just a wisp of scent....marvelous!

They like full sun and need a bit of room as they can grow pretty large. They can be grown in pots, however and the size controlled. They also need well drained soil the same as the regular geranium. Usually their blossoms are not as striking as the others but the scent and the beauty of the leaf configuration make them a choice plant.

The leaves are used in pot pourris and some like them added to herbal teas. Great for herb pillows and exceptional for strewing.

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 Last updated 4/17/08
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© 1996 by Leona Halley Henderson

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