'The Language of Flowers' front cover

Full Title: 'The language of flowers, including floral poetry. With original illustrations printed in colours' (London: Frederick Warne and Co., [n.d.]).

The language of flowers was a 19th-century code used to make bouquets which passed messages between lovers and suitors. Each flower was given its own meaning and they could be combined to create special messages. The concept was made popular by books which explained these meanings.