The red rose has become the symbol for love.But just one shade away from that is a crimson rose, which is said to portray mourning.  Not quite the message you want your loved one to receive on Valentine’s Day.
Sarah McMillan of Perth florist, Beautiful Bunches, says while different flowers do have different meanings, there isn’t one definitive list.”Despite the different interpretations and meanings, the language of flowers has been around for centuries.”
Turkey is believed to be the where the language of flowers originated, but ‘flower language’ was present in many ancient and modern cultures across the globe.From thousands of years before the birth of Christ, through ancient Turkish, Egyptian and Chinese cultures, to South America and the Aztecs to Europe and Britain, flowers have been part of the growth of civilzation across the world. 
Significant religious meanings were ascribed to different flowers in Ancient Egypt.The most revered Egyptian goddess was Isis and it was believed that the lotus flower, also known as the water lily, was sacred to her.  In ancient China, flowers and herbs played a major role in religious teaching and medicine.  For them, flowers such as the tiger lily, the pomegranate and the orchid symbolized fertility, while the most revered flower was the peony, symbolizing wealth and high position in society.
The art of sending messages via a flower arrangement is known as floriography.In today’s world, it’s highly unlikely that a Perth florist will be asked to send someone flowers with a coded message contained therein, but it was quite common in historical times. 
One floral art tradition that has endured since the fifteenth century is the making of aromatic nosegays that convey a coded message. These were known as tussie-mussies and were tighly arranged, small circular bunches of aromatic herbs and flowers.
In Britain in the mid 17th century, tussie mussies were carried close to a person’s nose to ward off the ‘bad air’ that was believed to cause the plague.These word-posies were widely used during Victorian times as a means through which suitors could send subtle coded messages to their loved ones.   The nosegays of ladies in Edwardian times had a special ring attached, enabling them to hold the tussie-mussies while they danced. In those times, although the colours were similar, they could have very different meanings, such as single pink flowers indicating perfection,whilst variegated pinks indicated rejection.
Despite their historical origins, tussie mussies are still around today.One was presented to the Queen at her coronation and Old Bailey judges still carry these posies into court as a reminder of an old Elizabethan tradition. 
Over time, the meanings of flowers have been subject to adaptation and interpretation, mkaing it impossible for experts to agree on definitive meanings.Many floral dictionaries have been published through hisstory, all giving various meanings to flowers which have been taken from religion, folklore, mythology and the imagination of the author. 
While the experts don’t agree, there is certainly acceptance that one can say it with flowers. Sarah McMillan, from Beautiful Bunches, a florist in Perth, believes they create arrangements using appropriate blooms to convey the appropriate messages.Some flowers that have kept their meanings over time are white lilies (purity), hydrangeas (devotion), tulips (never-ending love) and daisies (innocence). 
According to Sarah, a gift of a flower arrangement always carries a special message.  “As one of the most established Perth florists, we have the experience and knowledge to create special arrangements for special people with special messages.”