Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

$21.99 at de Young Museum.

Floriography is a full-color guide to the historical uses and secret meanings behind an impressive array of flowers and herbs. The book explores the coded meanings associated with various blooms, from flowers for a lover to flowers for an enemy.The language of flowers was historically used as a means of secret communication. It soared in popularity during the 19th century, especially in Victorian England and the US, when proper etiquette discouraged open displays of emotion. Mysterious and playful, the…