Communicating with flowers became the height of fashion under Queen Victoria, when nineteenth century publishers produced dozens of dictionaries explaining "floriography" as "The Language of Flowers." Lovers used the guidebooks to gather nosegays, bouquets and tussie-mussies --from the medieval tussie (knot of flowers) and mussie (moist moss used to keep flowers fresh) The Victorians also created special holders for these bouquets so that a lady could carry her flowers with her, just as she would her purse.

There is also a hidden meaning surrounding the presentation of flowers. Arrangements filled with greenery expressed hope in a love affair. When a bouquet was presented upside down, its opposite meaning was intended. If the ribbon was tied to the left, the message referred to the giver; to the right, the recipient. Flowers worn at the heart meant love, but those fastened in the hair implied caution.
 
 

Another myth said that the rose was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. Chloris fashioned the rose from the body of a lifeless nymph she found in the woods. The three Graces encircled the flower and bestowed on it gifts of brightness, charm and joy. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, gave it a portion of her beauty, and Dionysus, the god of wine, poured forth nectar to give it fragrance. Even Zephyr, the west wind, blew a clearing in the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could make the flower bloom. The gods hailed their new creation and immediately crowned the rose the Queen of Flowers.

The rose has since been dedicated to all lovers and goddesses and is said to signify love and beauty. A red rose means "I love you." but a yellow rose stands for jealousy and infidelity. A white rose symbolizes purity, while the rosebud suggests young and innocent love.
 
 

A Persian tale tells how the rose became red one evening. It seems that a nightingale fell in love with the flower and flew blindly towards its fragrance. Pierced by a thorn, his blood flowed over the white petals, turning them red.

But Romans believed that Venus blushed when Jupiter, the king of the gods, caught her bathing. It's said that the white rose turned red in her blushing reflection. Another Roman tale tells how Venus's tears, shed over unrequited love of Adonis, fell on a white rose and turned it red.
 
 
 
 

The pale lilac was said to bring enchantment and faithfulness. It was believed that a bath in lilac water would enable one to get a glimpse of a future love.
 
 

The legend of the pansy says the flower was originally white but turned bright purple where it was pierced by Cupid's arrow. It's said that you can see a loved one in the face of a pansy. Even the flower's named is derived from the French pensee, meaning thought, reflecting the flower's reputation for bringing thoughts of loved ones. Shakespeare clearly understood the meaning of the flower when his characters concocted a love portion from pansy juice in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The pansy is also known as Heart's Ease, for it was believed that carrying the flower would ensure the love of your sweetheart.
 
 
 
 

Periwinkle also had a reputation for increasing thoughts of love. Culpeper, an English botanist, advised that a man and a woman eat the plant's leaves together since it would "cause love between them." Periwinkle is also said to symbolize happy memories.
 
 
 
 

Ivy could mean marriage or friendship. Supposedly, a young girl wearing a leaf of ivy next to her heart was destined to marry the first single man she encountered.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Romans said the daisy was once a lovely wood nymph who shrank into a timid daisy when Vertumnus, the god of spring, expressed his love for her.
 
 
 
 

Violets were said to be lesser goddesses who once dared to rival the beauty of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Legend holds that Aphrodite beat her competitors into tiny purple flowers.
 
 
 
 

Folklore says that the poppy has telltale leaves. 
The louder the leaves crackle when crushed in a hand, the more that person is loved.
 
 
 
 

Doves were said to be sacred to Venus and were used to carry messages between lovers in ancient Rome. The dove symbolized peace and gentleness and was often given to a young couple for the promise of a happy life. The birds were considered magical and a flock of them overhead meant good luck in marriage; thus, even today couples release doves on their wedding day.
 
 
 

Other birds were also associated with love. In England, migrating birds return from the south in February, and it's said that they choose their mates on February 14th. Thus, Valentine's Day remains a popular day for weddings and engagements.
 
 
 
 

Parrots are also considered lovebirds since they choose one mate and leave the other birds. In the Victorian Era, pairs of small parrots in vivid green, orange and purple were sometimes used as valentine ornaments.
 
 
 
 

Certain birds foretell happiness with their song. The call of the cuckoo is suppose to reveal how soon a young woman will be married. The number of calls indicates the number of years until the wedding will take place. Likewise, its said that if young lovers hear a nightingale's call, they will soon be married.
 
 
 
 

Even a robin singing on a windowsill signals happiness and love. 
If the bird nest near a house, it is a sign of good luck for the occupants.