If you lived in Victorian times and wanted to tell someone that you loved them, you would have given them a red rose. In the Language of Flowers, roses have always been a symbol for deep affection.
Did you know however, that receiving a bunch of dill meant that the giver was looking for some casual “fun” with no strings attached?
Garlic on the other hand was used as a direct insult by signaling the recipient that he/she was an evil force (think vampire) or illness which needed to be fended off. Also, it made the person stink – goal achieved!
Apparently you had to be very careful with your kitchen herbs in Victorian times, and even more with flower presents. One wrong choice and you might have ended up with an accidental lover or even worse, an enemy for life.
In modern times, a lot of our communication happens online. The lack of face-to-face conversations and body language harbours many dangers from misunderstandings. Luckily we have emoticons (or smileys) to hand, which help us to convey our emotions and add additional layers of meaning to written statements. Laughing, winking, frowning or hugging smileys help the recipient of the message to understand the intended tone of our messages.
My favourite emoticons are these flower smileys created by Helen Baq. Because, just like in old times, the language of flowers is the prettiest way to let someone know what you think!
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