Hush… the Flowers have something to say!

Potterheads might be quite acquainted with these lines by none other than the titular, Severus Snape. However, many might not have caught notice of the deeper emotions of love and regret that were associated with these words

As we all know that Snape had a deep rooted love for Lily Potter, Harry's mother and surprisingly these lines were reminiscent of this very emotion. According to the popular Flower Language, prevalent in Victorian England, asphodel is a type of lily symbolizing, 'My regrets follow you to the grave' and wormwood means 'absence' and also typically symbolizes bitter sorrow. If we combine that, it means 'I bitterly regret Lily's death'.

This popular coded language of floriography meant that Victorians could express affection, desire or disdain, allowing a society governed by strict etiquette to show its true feelings. The tradition of floriography has always been there, but these days it is a shadow of its former self – many know that a bouquet of roses symbolizes romance, for example, but few know why. Receiving a bouquet of moss rose, sweet scented violet and white jasmine meant that someone admired your modesty and amiability. Bluebells communicated “kindness,” rosemary symbolized “remembrance” and peonies meant “bashfulness.” Representing chastity was the mimosa, whose leaves close at night or when touched.

Aloe meant “bitterness,” pomegranate “conceit,” and rhododendrons meant “danger.” If someone received an arrangement of delphiniums, hydrangeas, oleander, basil and birdsfoot, it was meant to deliver a more negative message, indicating they were heartless and to beware. Myrtle might symbolize love, but if it was sent with sunflowers (false riches), the message was that your love was fake and not worth professing.

Sending and receiving flowers was also a way to attract or reject suitors. If a man sent an apple blossom to show a woman she was his "preference" or declared his devotion by sending a rose, she could respond by sending back straw to indicate she was interested in a union or a yellow carnation to express her rejection of such a notion.

This floriography craze was credited to be started by English aristocrat and poet Lady Mary Wortley Montague. She discussed about “a mysterious language of love and gallantry” and described the Turkish selam — a secret flower language used by clever harem women to communicate under the noses of their guards.By the early 19th century, a formalized language of flowers was developed in the form of a dictionary of symbolic meanings assigned to individual flowers, which thus became generally known to society as a method of silent communication.

So, the next time you find it difficult to communicate your emotions or feelings to your loved ones, or your exasperation to your annoying superiors, just select the appropriate assortment of flowers and leave it at their desk