The Language of Flowers: The Duckling’s Guide to Flower Meanings and Symbolism 🌸
Discover the language of flowers with this guide to floriography, Victorian flower meanings and birth flowers by month, plus the perfect DCUK duck gift for each bloom.
There’s an art to choosing the right flower, but it can also be the simplest, most intuitive thing in the world. In this duck’s guide to floriography, we take a waddle through the history of flower symbolism, learn how meaning grows from flower type, colour, and quantity, and unlock the real secret of petal power.
What is floriography? The secret language of flowers explained
The language of flowers, or floriography, is the art of sending messages through blooms. It is often associated with the Victorians, who were obsessed with the romance and intrigue of sending secret messages through flowers.
Floriographies (flower dictionaries) like Louise Cortambert’s “The Language of Flowers” (1819) were hugely popular, and most households had a copy to help them interpret and create “talking bouquets” and “nosegay” posies. For many people in 19th-century Britain, France and the United States, these guides were not just a bit of fun: they were an essential tool for expressing and deciphering unspoken feelings in an emotionally repressive age.
Today, floriography influences how we choose wedding flowers and Valentine’s Day, birthday, and other gifts and keepsakes, as we continue to associate specific emotions with particular blooms. We only have to imagine sending red roses to a colleague or white lilies to someone who’s unwell to experience the power of Victorian floriography.
Rather than something historic, the language of flowers may be the most universal language of all. It’s in the flower-filled myths of ancient Greece and Rome, the symbolic blossoms of Chinese art and poetry, and the coded floral sélam messages of Ottoman Turkey.
Floriography is even at work in the scarlet poppies of The Wizard of Oz and the opposing characters of Lily (love and sacrifice) and Petunia (anger and resentment) in Harry Potter. It seems that finding meaning in flowers is part of human nature.
Some favourite Victorian flower meanings
Forget-me-not: For true love and memories. These delicate blue flowers were given before periods of separation. A fashionable accessory on clothes and jewellery, they whisper: “Don’t forget me.”
Carnation: Colour is crucial when deciphering flowers. A yellow carnation could symbolise rejection, but pink means enduring love and admiration. Perfect for Mother’s Day.
Thistle: Due to its association with Scotland, thistles represented bravery, protection and resilience. This message works both ways and can mean “I’ll protect you” or “I can look after myself!”.
What’s my birth flower? Birthday flowers for every month of the year
We all have a birth flower linked to the month we were born. These associations grew from Victorian floriographies but are rooted in natural cycles and seasons.
If ducks had birthdays (which of course they do), these are the flowers they’d choose to wear:
🌸January - Carnation
Blooming brightly in the depths of winter, carnations symbolise enduring love, admiration and devoted affection.
Duck pick: Carnation Duckling
🌸February - Violet
Delicate and quietly beautiful, violets symbolise loyalty, faithfulness and modesty.
Duck pick: Garden Bird in purple
🌸March - Daffodil
One of the most recognised spring flowers, the daffodil symbolises renewal, hope and new beginnings.
Duck pick: Daffodil Flower Duckling.
🌸April - Daisy
Daisies represent innocence, joy and cheerful optimism, a perfect reflection of spring.
Duck pick: Green Floral Hat and Boots Duckling.
🌸May - Lily of the Valley
These delicate bell-shaped flowers symbolise sweetness, humility and the return of happiness.
Duck pick: Grey Floral Boots Ducklet.
🌸June - Rose
Perhaps the most famous symbolic flower of all, the rose represents love, beauty and heartfelt devotion.
Duck pick: Wild Rose Duckling.
🌸July - Larkspur
Tall and vibrant, larkspur flowers symbolise positivity, grace and an open heart.
Duck pick: Blue Floral Hat and Boots Duckling.
🌸August - Gladiolus
Striking and upright, gladiolus symbolise strength of character, integrity and determination.
Duck pick: Red Floral Hat and Boots Duckling.
🌸September - Aster
Named after the Greek word for “star”, asters symbolise wisdom, love and faith.
Duck pick: Thistle Flower Duckling.
🌸October - Marigold
Bright and bold, marigolds symbolise warmth, creativity and passionate energy.
Duck pick: Sunflower Duckling.
🌸November - Chrysanthemum
Cheerful and long-lasting, chrysanthemums symbolise friendship, loyalty and happiness.
Duck pick: Teal Floral Hat and Boots Duckling.
🌸December - Narcissus
Blooming in winter, narcissus flowers symbolise hope, good fortune and renewal for the year ahead.
Duck pick: Daffodil Flower Duckling.
How we make our own flower meanings
Flower meanings are wonderfully personal. Rooted in memory, nature and the qualities we see in the people we love, it’s what we bring to a floral gift that makes it so beautiful.
Wearing flowers on their hats and boots, ducks make it easy to speak the language of flowers. Even better, these flowers never fade!
DCUK Floral Ducks: Gifts for blooming brilliant people!
Share your quacking blooms
If you have a DCUK bloom or two, we’d love to hear from you. Please send your photos and stories to [email protected]
