The Joy of the Creeping Buttercup | Yellow Flowers | Spring Flowers | Optimism

Floriography is a cryptological and symbolic form of non-verbal communication which originated in the Victorian era - translating a readable message into an unreadable format, encompassing the act of creating codes and ciphers with the act of studying and breaking those codes.

People of the Victorian era were discouraged from speaking their true emotions, thoughts and feelings; flowers became the primary vehicle for which women were able to create and pass discreet messages of sentiment, loyalty, respect, admiration, disapproval or dislike to friends and family - becoming an essential driver of social communication and bonding. Historically, Floriography has been utilised across Asia and Europe.

Floriography as a social code which must be deciphered to reveal the message behind the bouquet is influenced by several elements, including the variety of the flower, colour meaning, presentation and arrangement. Each flower has its own historically established symbolism, for example, a red rose is a symbol of passion and enduring love and the Lily-of-the-Valley expresses feelings of trustworthiness and sweetness.

The specific colour of a flower can drastically alter the message - the message of a pink carnation is one of eternal remembrance, whereas a yellow carnation represents romantic rejection or disdain. The manner in which flowers are gifted carries significance - flowers handed over with the right hand respond “yes” to a question and a ribbon tied to the right of the bouquet indicates the message is intended for the recipient.

The Creeping Buttercup is seen as a symbol of cheerfulness and youth. The bright yellow flowers are a similar colour to that of the sun, evoking feelings of happiness and warmth. Gifting a friend a bouquet with a Creeping Buttercup conveys joy and optimistic sentiments.