Field Notes: The Language of Flowers

Victorian floriography, the language of flowers, developed in a society where emotion was often restrained by etiquette. Flowers became a quiet method of communication. A bouquet could express affection, refusal, grief, remembrance, or hope without a single word spoken. Each flower, and often its colour, carried a particular meaning understood by those who knew how to read it.

For a hedgewitch, this is not simply social history. It is another example of how people have always turned to the natural world to speak what they could not say aloud. The Victorians formalised it, printed it into dictionaries, and codified its meanings. But the instinct itself is older. Plants have long carried symbolism shaped by season, scent, colour, and use.

floriography: love and rejection

Roses, not surprisingly, played a central role in romantic expressions of affection. Red roses symbolised passionate love, while pink roses conveyed gentleness and admiration. However, not all floral messages were positive. Yellow carnations, for instance, signified rejection, allowing for polite refusals of unwanted suitors.

Expressing Complex Emotions

Difficult emotions were also expressed through the use of flowers. Poppies stood as poignant symbols of remembrance, their vibrant red petals echoing the bloodshed of war and loss. A flower that is still used for remembrance today. Other flowers that represented loss or grief were:

Dark crimson roses: Mourning.

Pink carnations: “I’ll Never Forget You.”

Fortune and Prosperity

For those wishing to convey good fortune, Apple Blossom symbolised the promise of good fortune and prosperity, hinting at a future filled with abundance. I have a whole blog post on Apple Blossom. See here. Peonies symbolised a good future and wealth; heather, particularly white, was believed to bring luck.

Witchcraft and floriography.

There are many ways you can incorporate floriography into your craft. Keep flowers on your altar; change them with the seasons. Or if you are working on a particular spell or goal, add flowers to represent it. For example, place a sunflower on your altar during abundance rituals to attract wealth and success, or orchids to enhance psychic abilities.

Seasonal Rituals

Align your magical practices with the natural cycle of flowers.

Spring

Snowdrops have long symbolised hope and renewal, flowering while frost still grips the earth. Their white petals led to associations with purity and protection in European folklore, and they have become linked in modern witchcraft with seasonal transition and the turning toward spring.

There is an old British belief that snowdrops should not be brought indoors. In earlier centuries, they were often planted in churchyards, and their pale, shroud-like appearance led some to consider them unlucky inside the home. Today, this remains folklore rather than rule, but many still prefer to leave them growing where they first rise.

Small, resilient, and appearing at the coldest edge of the year, snowdrops mark the quiet threshold between endings and beginnings.

In modern magical practice, they are sometimes aligned with new cycles, purification work, and gentle resilience rather than forceful change. Their symbolism grows from their ecology. They rise early. They endure cold. They signal a transition.

Primroses held an important place in Victorian floriography. Their name comes from the Latin prima rosa, meaning first rose, reflecting their early appearance in the year. In the language of flowers, they symbolised youth, new beginnings, and devoted affection. Their delicate form and early bloom made them natural emblems of innocence and renewal.

Long before the Victorians, primroses were also woven into British folklore. In parts of the British Isles, they were associated with fairies, and it was believed that leaving primroses at doorways could invite protection or good fortune.

Daffodils, appearing soon after, became symbols of renewal, admiration, and the return of warmth. Their bright colour and trumpet-like shape made them natural heralds of spring. In some traditions, they were considered lucky flowers, particularly when gifted.

In modern witchcraft practice, daffodils are often worked with in spells focused on growth, confidence, and new beginnings. These correspondences are contemporary symbolic uses rather than historic folk belief, but they draw from the flower’s seasonal energy and bright, forward-facing form.

Summer

Summer brings a riot of colours, with roses taking centre stage. Roses have long been associated with love, as we saw above. White roses were associated with innocence and purity.

In witchcraft, they have a variety of uses: place some petals in a muslin bag under your pillow for dreamwork, or make a dream pillow by sewing petals into a pillow. Grind down dried rose petals, mix them with other herbs, and burn on a charcoal disc. I have a whole blog post on Roses; see here

Autumn

Chrysanthemums, popular in Victorian gardens, represented honesty. Dahlias generally symbolise elegance and dignity

Winter

Even in the depths of winter, floriography continued to flourish. Evergreen plants like holly and ivy took on special significance.

Holly: Defence and domestic happiness

Ivy: Fidelity and marriage

Mistletoe: Kiss me and affection

Charm Bags

Create charm bags or sachets filled with dried flowers that correspond to your magical intent, based on their Victorian meanings.

Garden Magic

If you have the space, create your own witch’s garden of flowers you can use on your altar, in your spell work, or even to send a special message to someone. Choose flowers that resonate with you; grow them from seed if you can.