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39th out of 50 books
—
14 voters
A Victorian Flower Dictionary: The Language of Flowers Companion
by
Mandy Kirkby,
Vanessa Diffenbaugh (Goodreads Author)
“A flower is not a flower alone; a thousand thoughts invest it.”
Daffodils signal new beginnings, daisies innocence. Lilacs mean the first emotions of love, periwinkles tender recollection. Early Victorians used flowers as a way to express their feelings—love or grief, jealousy or devotion. Now, modern-day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom, and this...more
Daffodils signal new beginnings, daisies innocence. Lilacs mean the first emotions of love, periwinkles tender recollection. Early Victorians used flowers as a way to express their feelings—love or grief, jealousy or devotion. Now, modern-day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom, and this...more
Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
September 20th 2011
by Ballantine Books
(first published January 1st 2011)
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In Victorian times people enjoyed using the hidden meaning of flowers to convey messages. it was more a fun past time of elite women. However with this being said... flowers have always been a part of everyone's life through the centuries. In every culture they are used to recognize- love/ happiness/ sickness/ death/ etc. Fot instance- when I was in India we took a boat down the Ganges and witnessed the cremations. At every single site there were piles of marigolds. Becaue they are symbolic of g...more
The Language of Flowers
Everything about this book is beautiful, when you read Nizar Qabanni's (Arabic Poet) about Jasmine Flowers and feel your heart ache over its scent, or when the images of the Japanese Blossom's festival blows your mind away, or when you buy Marc Jacobs perfume "Daisy", Or when you prefer A Lavander smelling shapoo more than a frutiful one, Or when you know that the movie (Black Dhalia) refers to the dark depressing-looking flower, or find A rose the most romantic sentimenta...more
Everything about this book is beautiful, when you read Nizar Qabanni's (Arabic Poet) about Jasmine Flowers and feel your heart ache over its scent, or when the images of the Japanese Blossom's festival blows your mind away, or when you buy Marc Jacobs perfume "Daisy", Or when you prefer A Lavander smelling shapoo more than a frutiful one, Or when you know that the movie (Black Dhalia) refers to the dark depressing-looking flower, or find A rose the most romantic sentimenta...more
I picked up a copy of this at a delightful book signing/reading/Q & A event with Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of The Language of Flowers. The individuals putting on the event were selling copies of this along with Vanessa's book and she happily signed each one with little flower messages.
Honestly, I bought it just to have something for her to sign. I didn't expect to read it, intending more to have a pretty book to sit on the shelf in the kitchen. But the book is surprisingly adorable.
The mes...more
Honestly, I bought it just to have something for her to sign. I didn't expect to read it, intending more to have a pretty book to sit on the shelf in the kitchen. But the book is surprisingly adorable.
The mes...more
A Victorian Flower Dictionary by Mandy Kirkby and Vanessa Diffenbaugh is a wonderful companion to Diffenbaugh’s novel, The Language of Flowers. Beginning with a few introductory pages Diffenbaugh writes that, “In every culture throughout time, flowers have been central to the human experience.” The book is arranges in alpha order from anemone to weeping willow and illustrates in simple two color illustration the flower that is being defined and explored. There are fifty flowers highlighted and t...more
The book is a fun resource to have on hand when making floral related decisions. The majority of the book explores the meanings behind fifty featured plants. For each flower, a lovely illustration is accompanied by 2 pages of text highlighting key points from its history, such as links to Greek mythology and appearances in art or poetry. A quick reference guide is provided at the back of the book which includes individual flower meanings and suggested combinations for specific occasions.
While I...more
While I...more
A Victorian Flower Dictionary: The Language of Flowers Companion by Mandy Kirkby is so beautifully written. The fact, myths, legends about this adorable little book is wonderful. She not just lists what different flowers mean, though she tells you what the back story is on some featured flowers. It is a great resource book for any and all who what to know the history of different kinds of flowers. I enjoyed the parts about the legends of the Greek Gods that were involved with these different kin...more
I was disappointed with this book. It does contain some good information. Unfortunately, the information is choppy and reads awkwardly. Loosely formatted as a dictionary, the entries for the "featured flowers" are widely varying in amount & type of content. Worst of all, unlike the lovely illustration on the cover, the ones inside are very amateur-looking, and at times even hard to recognize as specimens of the flower the are supposed to represent.
The book mentions a large number of histori...more
The book mentions a large number of histori...more
A red rose means love, everyone knows that. How about Canterbury Bells or Mistletoe then? Most people know that flowers convey certain feelings and while we still revert to a floral language by giving flower bouquets on special occasions, much of the meaning behind the individual flowers has been reduced to a very limited and generalized one since Victorian times.
Mandy Kirkby presents a wonderful book with The Language Of Flowers: A Miscellany, the official companion to the novel of the same tit...more
Mandy Kirkby presents a wonderful book with The Language Of Flowers: A Miscellany, the official companion to the novel of the same tit...more
I would have much preferred a few illustrations to some of the paintings mentioned in the book. I had to stop and "google" them every few pages for a better understanding of their representation and meanings. However, it was a lovely reminder of The Language of Flowers. And I really enjoyed the literary references and the poems - they were quite the treat...
After I finished reading The Language of Flowers, I poured myself into this little book to read further into some of the most commonly known flowers. Immediately I was pleased that I had purchased this book, for I believe I will be referring to it many times over the years to come.
I originally purchased this book as a mere reference to one of my website projects. What a delightful read it turned out to be! Apart from a comprehensive list of flowers and languages associated with them, readers will find refined depictions of fifty selected flowers that were most adored by the Victorians, each accompanied by a lovely color sketch, historical background, famous artworks and poems surrounding the flower--the latter I enjoyed especially. There are also valuable advices on bouqu...more
This was fun. It brought out all my vengeance-seeking bad girl tendencies... I so have a list of people who deserve a beautiful bouquet of scarlet geraniums. (Because they mean stupidity! How fantastic is that? Seriously.)
I first became interested in the language of flowers from, what else, a squishy novel. Those crazy repressed Victorians turned to forget-me-nots and tulips to say what needed to be said.
There was a pretty "plate" style color drawing for each flower... 50 different flowers tota...more
I first became interested in the language of flowers from, what else, a squishy novel. Those crazy repressed Victorians turned to forget-me-nots and tulips to say what needed to be said.
There was a pretty "plate" style color drawing for each flower... 50 different flowers tota...more
Simple descriptions of flowers with common and latin names. Hand drawn illustrations, most too blurred through the printing process.
The history of the flowers was interesting and short.
The history of the flowers was interesting and short.
Apr 02, 2012
Tyene
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sconosciuto-challenge,
alphabet-challenge
Conosco un ciglio dove il timo selvatico fiorisce,
crescon le margherite e reclinano il capo le viole,
coperto da un padiglione di fin troppo rigoglioso caprifoglio,
con dolci rose muschiate e roselline di macchia.
Colà, fra i fiori, Titania dorme talvolta di notte,
cullata da musiche e danze.
Overall I think this book was so cute and interesting. I think it will definitely have me trying to incorporate some of this new knowledge into my life. I would definitely be interested in reading another volume about this subject now and think it's a great idea that there has been a miscellany created for a novel I loved. More authors should do this. I gave this book 4.5 stars. It would be nicer if it featured more flowers or showed me some interesting flower projects or something I could do. I...more
Buy this - it is so fun to have if you send flowers. Even if the person you send the flowers to doesn't know the code -- you do and that's enough.
This is really cool and useful for sending and displaying flowers. Puts even more meaning into plant life.
Fascinating companion to The Language of Flowers. WOnderful reference to look up your favorite flowers/herbs :)
I still have my childhood copy of this. I think my mother gave it to me for Christmas, maybe.
Loved the histories around a select 50 or so flowers. The poems and artistic references were also a nice touch. I borrowed this one from a library, but I think I would like to have it in my collections. While the illustrations could of been better, it's still a great reference book.
A gem of a book. Beautiful illustrations and a piece of refined elegance in a hectic world.
I love this book: a brief compilation of flowers, some stories, suprising anecdotes.. great. Just great.
Your gardens an bouquets will me more thoughtful with this book as a reference.
A great companion to the Language of Flowers. I enjoyed reading the background on many of the flower's meanings. What a fun way to share feelings with someone.
This was fun
Once you've read, and loved, The Language of Flowers, you'll be pleased to know there's something else to read to make the magic of the book linger. I learnt so much about flowers and their meanings. The romance of it all is seductive.
The Victorian language of flowers is fascinating and complex. I can only imagine the many scandals born as a result of giving the wrong bloom to the wrong person. You will treasure this book.
The Victorian language of flowers is fascinating and complex. I can only imagine the many scandals born as a result of giving the wrong bloom to the wrong person. You will treasure this book.
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Great companion book for "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It was so interesting how all types of artists from poets, writers, painters used the language of flowers in their work. I was so intrigued with the way artists of very old paintings inserted certain flowers in their art to make statements. I found myself perusing art on the web to see the paintings they make reference to in this book. Loved it!
Charming and informative. I wish she included pictures of the paintings she refers to.
Jammer dat er maar 50 bloemen in dit boek vermeld staan en dat deze overeen komen met het boek van Diffenbaugh. Toch leuk om te hebben, zeker voor dat geld!
Very well written. We are to discuss this book @ our next meeting. I am anxious for the discussion with others.
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