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<p>Flowers — their beauty, delicateness, and colour — have long been the subject of poems, ballads, messages of love, and other artworks. We probably see or smell something floral every day: they feature in our favourite perfumes and pattern our summer shirts, while framed photographs of lilies or daffodils can be found everywhere from hospital waiting rooms to cafes to our very own living rooms.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Flowers also commonly appear in our conversations; we often use floral imagery in our speech to give compliments and express joy (fresh as a daisy, coming up roses). But they have their own language too — one that we've used since Victorian times to help us express our love, appreciation or grief for a special someone.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Floriography or 'The Language of Flowers' was a form of communication developed in the 19th century. During a time when emotional displays were frowned upon, a bouquet had the power to speak your hearts desires. Every kind of bloom or plant had an assigned meaning; if you wanted to declare love, roses were your go-to; if you wanted to declare war, wild tansy should do the trick. Even plants like potatoes and turnips had a meaning ('benevolence' and 'charity' respectively) but we can only hope that Victorian nobles weren't gifting these to their true loves!</p>
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<h5 style="text-align:center;">A flower resembling the autumn crocus had the rather grim meaning of 'my best days have passed'</h5>
<p>While we may not adhere nowadays to these strict guidelines on what each flower means, modern-day floristry has allowed us to keep expressing ourselves through the medium of colourful blooms.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Mother's Day is a busy time for our local florists, a place where children young and old go to find a bouquet that will speak their heart. Thousands of flower arrangements will be expertly crafted by our florists over the weekend, ready to be hand-delivered to unsuspecting mums on Sunday morning.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you are planning to gift your wonderful mam flowers this weekend, try to purchase them from a local florist, many of whom are offering contactless collection or delivery. Every penny you spend with them goes towards keeping the doors of their bright and fragrant shops open. Not to mention, their continued business, expert advice and vibrant displays will surely keep our towns looking beautiful!</p>
<p><strong>Go to the 'Shopping' tab in the Xplore app to find out more about your local florists and how to get in touch with them, including links to their online stores. </strong></p>
<h6><strong>Source: Language of Flowers, Kate Greenaway, 1846-1901.</strong></h6>


Local Florists & the Language of Flowers

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