The Language of Flowers Encyclopedia is the definitive three volume reference on the language of flowers — an unparalleled scholarly achievement distinguished by the artistry and elegance of the author’s original artwork.
Volume 1 also includes two floral dictionaries: one arranged by flower and one arranged by meaning. Additional sections explore related flower traditions along with ten poems that specifically draw on the language of flowers, each with information on the poet and the poem’s publication history.
With its rich historical research, examination of 38 books, their editions and reprints, and 232 illustrations, Volume 2 is an unrivaled work of scholarship, illuminating the origins, influences, and inner workings of the language of flowers tradition with a depth and rigor that no previous work has achieved.
A final section lists twenty new additions to the language of flowers, including flowers not found in Victorian dictionaries, such as florist flowers and exotic species unknown to earlier writers. It extends this centuries-old tradition into the present day by listing the meanings of 79 flower and plant emojis.
What Readers Say
An Amazing Source for the Language of Flowers
I highly recommend this 3 volume work that has been Susan’s labor of love for decades for anyone interested in artwork, flowers, the meanings associated with flowers through the centuries and/or what the beauty of flowers has inspired throughout history. You can’t go wrong purchasing this full 3 volume set of books. Doug, United States
Wonderfully illustrated reference book
A fantastically detailed and well appointed anthology of flowers. The discussion of the meaning of various flowers, including how they were used to communicate and how they are referenced in literature is fascinating. These volumes are loaded with interesting stories and beautiful drawings, as well as discussions of the origins of the symbolic meaning behind various specific species. Deborah M, United States
5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, informative and detailed guide to the language of flowers!
All three of these volumes are beautiful, incredibly researched and full of detailed knowledge about the language of flowers. I was prepared for the illustrations to be amazing, but I wasn’t prepared for the depth of research that she has done into all of these flowers. As someone who has studied the language of flowers, in other context, I was prepared to read what I already knew, but this was much more. As an academic, her research has both the depth and breath of a work many years in the making. I thoroughly recommend all three of these volumes. I think this will be a wonderful addition to current Susan Loy fan’s collections, and an interesting and worthwhile purchase for language of flower enthusiasts who have not come across her work in the past. Karen O, United States
The illustrations are beautiful. The literary references were mostly new to me, and I enjoyed historical information about the authors. I was particularly interested in the reasons for the common and botanical names: Flower “sentiments” are something I had previously thought about only rarely. After reading this book, however, I’m going to think more about the possible symbolism of flowers that I see mentioned in literature. G. Hertz, Denmark