The Language of Flowers

This is my second book post of the week, but while staying at my grandma's for the Easter weekend, I came upon this book on her shelf called "The Language of Flowers" (edited by Shelia Pickles).

It went through a number of common flowers and gave their meanings, why they mean what they do and a poem to go along with each one. I was, of course, intrigued by this little book. Flower symbolism has always interested me and I liked that it gave a history behind each one.
I'm sure each of these flowers has multiple meanings depending on which culture or text you reference, but these are meanings according to this book.

Amaryllis - Pride

Anemone - Forsaken

Bluebell - Constancy

Camellia - Perfected Loveliness

Carnation - Alas for my poor heart

Chrysanthemum - I love

Clematis - Mental Beauty

Columbine - Folly

Cornflower - Delicacy

Crown Imperial - Majesty and Power

Daffodil - Regard and Chivalry

Daisy - Innocence

Dandelion - Oracle

Forget-me-not - True Love

Fox Glove - Insincerity

Gentian - You're unjust

Geranium - Melancholy

Hollyhock - Female Ambition

Honeysuckle - Sweetness of Disposition

Hyacinth - Sorrow

Iris - Message

Ivy - Fidelity

Jasmine - Grace and Elegance

Lavender - Distrust

Lilac - First Emotions of Love

Lily - Purity

Lily of the Valley - Return of Happiness

Marigold - Grief

Narcissus - Egotism

Nasturtium - Patriotism

Orchid - A belle

Pansy - Thoughts

Peony - Shame and Bashfulness

Phlox - Agreement

Poppy - Fantastic Extravagance

Primrose - Early Youth

Rose - Love

    - White Rose - Purity and Spiritual Love

    - Yellow Rose - Decrease of Love and Infidelity

    - Cabbage Rose - Ambassador of Love

    - Musk Rose - Capricious Beauty

    - Single Rose - Simplicity

Speedwell -Female Fidelity

Sunflower - Haughtiness

Tulip - Declaration of Love

Violet - Modesty

Wallflower - Fidelity in Adversity

Water Lily - Purity of Heart

As you can see from the pictures, the art is gorgeous, incorporating many works of art from different artists that depict each flower. If I hadn't been so busy with spending time with my family, I could probably give a more thorough summary of why each flower means what it does, but Easter is always a busy time so I just had to jot down the meanings.

Earth Day Reading Project

Michelle over at The Sage Butterfly has a wonderful contest going for bloggers called the Earth Day Reading Project where she asks that bloggers share a book that has inspired their love of nature or inspired them to live or garden more sustainably.
I tried to think of a book I'd read about sustainability, possibly a how-to book or a do-it-yourself read, but I kept drawing a blank. But then this book came to mind. I'm more of a fiction reader and hadn't even thought to put a fiction book down until I remembered reading this book.

My entry in this contest is the book Green Angel by Alice Hoffman. 

It's a fictional tale of a girl named Green who describes herself as someone preferring stones and plants to people. She lives in a post-apocalyptic world and loses her family in a great tragedy. The ashes from the fires that killed her family leaves her half-blind and wounded, inside and out. She tries to cover up the memories that hurt her so much by covering herself in tattoos of vines and black roses with ink she makes with materials from her garden. She also learns of all the other healing properties of the plants she finds in her garden, treating wounded animals and the occasional person who will come near enough to her home. Soon she finds that, as she heals, the ink magically turns greener and greener and flowers begin to bloom with color on her skin as the pain within her subsides.

This book isn't just the tale of a depressed teenager. It's a wonderful book showing a magical journey to recovery, aided by nature and a garden. The magic in the book seems subtle and realistic, just like the magical things one can see in nature. You can even get a bit of a lesson in sustainability from this book when you read how Green lives off of all of the plants of her garden and the forest around her. If she can do it when faced with a world filled with destruction and adversity, then so can we who live in so much better circumstances. It's a book I highly recommend to anyone as this is one inspiration for my love of nature and gardening. It shows how, just as nature can heal and grow anew over time after tragedy, the human spirit can do so as well.