~book review-The Language of Flowers~

The Language of Flowers

by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Not since I read "A Vintage Affair", have I enjoyed

a book so much. Simply put, this is a beautiful story

of self-forgiveness and maternal love told thru

the meaning of flowers. If you love flowers and

good stories, this book is for you.

Mom-you will love it. 

The main character is Victoria Jones who has

grown up in the foster system and is unable to get

close to anybody. Her only emotional connection

and expression to the world is thru flowers and

their meanings. The story begins the morning of

her 18th birthday, the day she is going to be

emancipated from the system. With no job, no

family and nowhere to go, she starts sleeping

in a public park where she plants a garden.

A local florist gives her a job and Victoria soon 

learns that she has a special gift of helping others

thru flowers.  As she is forced to confront

issues and people of her past she soon learns

that the person she needs to heal most is

HERSELF. 

Back in the Victorian Era, people would

communicate and send messages to one another

thru flowers. (That's much better than texting

if you ask me.) I never knew flowers 

had such a history of meaning so much. 

At the back of the book the author has included

an index of flowers and their meanings. 

I had so much fun reading about the flowers 

we are growing here in our yard and 

what they represent. 

This is what the flowers in our yard are saying:

alyssum-worth beyond beauty

allium-prosperity

cosmos-joy in love and life

crocus-youthful gladness

daffodil-new beginnings

daylily-coquetry

purple hyacinth-please forgive me

iris-message

lettuce-coldheartedness

lily-majesty

parsley-festivity

peppermint-warmth of feeling

peony-anger

petunia-your presence soothes me

orange rose-fascination

pale peach rose-modesty

pink rose-grace

red rose-love

sunflower-false riches

tulip-declaration of love

 and my favorite:

moss-maternal love

(because it grows with no roots)

Isn't it interesting?

I didn't realize we have so many different flowers

and plants growing in our yard until I started

analyzing what they all mean. We have even more

but I can't identify what they are at this point. 

If you want to know what your flowers and plants

are saying....check out this book.