Be careful giving flowers. The choice of bouquet for a loved one could convey something other than you intend.
A floral code, known as "florigraphy," was especially popular among the romantics of Victorian England about a hundred years ago. Each flower and tree had a meaning all its own.
Presenting sprigs or blooms from thornless roses, for instance, was a shorthand way of saying "it was love at first sight!"
Remnants of this botanical language linger in our culture. The daisy is still a symbol of purity and Forget-me-nots remain faithful.
Which interpretations linger in our subconscious we can't be sure. So, take care in choosing flowers.
In traditional Victorian floriography, lavender symbolizes distrust.
This is because of an old belief that venomous snakes—called asps—hid beneath its bushes.
Something fragrant and appealing could hide something harmful.
The asp said to have killed Cleopatra was hidden beneath a lavender bush or bundle.
