05/06/2026
Floriography Friday… can this be a thing? 🌿
Floriography is the “language of flowers,” dating back to Victorian times when flowers were used to communicate coded messages during an era ruled by strict etiquette.
That said, people have attached meanings, myths, and symbolism to flowers for thousands of years, so many of the meanings we associate with flowers today actually originate in ancient folklore and mythology.
The spear thistle above is one of the plants depicted in my Strength in Bloom pattern, representing bravery and protection. It’s widely celebrated as the national emblem of Scotland, and folklore tells us the thistle once saved Scotland when a Norse invader stepped on one and cried out loudly enough to alert the defending clans.
That’s the written version, anyway… but growing up, I remember hearing a slightly different telling of the story — that the Norse invaders attempted to come ashore through a field of thistles, only to become so scared of the idea of facing a people who willingly lived amongst such prickly plants that they turned and fled 🤣 - I have to admit, I like that version better!
