PETAL POWER

The red rose has become the symbol for love.But if the roses are crimson and not red - just one subtle difference in hue - their meaning dramatically changes to mourning.Now that's not what you want to say to your Valentine.
Different flowers have different symbolic meanings, but it depends on culture and interpretation, says Sarah McMillan, a florist in Perth with Beautiful Bunches."Despite the different interpretations and meanings, the language of flowers has been around for centuries.”
Historians believe that 'flower' language originated in Turkey and has been part of civilizations across the world throughout history.From ancient civilizations in 2 500 BC, to cultures in ancient Turkey, Egypt, China and South America across to Europe, flowers have been an integral part of the growth of civilization. 
The ancient Egyptians attached significant religious meanings to flowers.The most revered Egyptian goddess was Isis and it was believed that the lotus flower, also known as the water lily, was sacred to her.For the ancient Chinese, flowers and herbs were very important particularly in religion and medicine.They believed the tiger lily and orchid were symbols of fertility whilst the peony, their most revered flower, stood for wealth and social position.
The art of sending messages via a flower arrangement is known as floriography.   While it’s unlikely that a customer today will contact a florist in Perth to send a secret coded message in a bunch of flowers, it was common practice in historical times. 
From the 15th century through to modern times, there is one type of floral art that has spanned the centuries, and that is the making of aromatic posies that have a subtle, coded meaning. These were circular nosegays - or tussie mussies - and were created by arranging aromatic herbs tightly around a central flower in a small, circular bunch.
In seventeenth century Britain, these aromatic nosegays were held close to a person's face to dispel 'foul air' that they believed caused the plague.  They reached the height of their popularity in Victorian times with suitors sending coded messages to their loved ones through these floral arrangements which became known as word-posies.And in Edwardian times, the ladies wore their special tussie mussies to dances, holding on with a specially made ring. In those days, single pink flowers meant ‘perfection’ whilst a variegated pink meant ‘rejection’.
Although old-fashioned, tussie mussies still prevail in modern times.The Queen was presented with a tussie mussie at her Coronation, whilst judges at London's Old Bailey still carry them into court on several occasions during the year as they did in the Elizabethan era. 
Experts are unable to give definitive meanings for the various flowers as there have been many changes and adaptations over the centuries.Many floral dictionaries have been published through hisstory, all giving various meanings to flowers which have been taken from religion, folklore, mythology and the imagination of the author. 
The experts may disagree on what flowers actually mean, but everyone agrees that flowers have a special message of their own. Sarah McMillan from the Perth florist, Beautiful Bunches, says her business is to 'say it with flowers' using the right variety and combination of flowers.Some flowers that have kept their meanings over time are white lilies (purity), hydrangeas (devotion), tulips (never-ending love) and daisies (innocence). 
According to Sarah, a gift of a flower arrangement always carries a special message.  “As one of the most established Perth florists, we have the experience and knowledge to create special arrangements for special people with special messages.”

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