The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History - Pocket Edition (Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia) Hardcover – Illustrated, April 12, 2022

This is the best book I've come across on this topic. The illustrations are stunning and the book has had all of the flowers I've needed and way more. I enjoy making pottery and carving flowers on my pieces, this is a way I use my craft to communicate using the Victorian language of flowers. Highly recommend!

I've recently become fascinated with the historical symbolism of flowers and had started researching a compendium to add to my writer’s library. There are several on the market but THIS was definitely the right choice for my purposes. The negative reviews were what really sold me on this book over its competitors. These reviews were written by serious planters who had wanted a book to guide them on planting flowers in their gardens (something this book never purports to speak to). These gardeners were distressed that the book contains the lore of each flower, including which plants have traditionally been added to one’s garden to induce fairies to visit or which plant has been used in literature to treat a werewolf bite. Given that my only hope when it comes to flowers lies in the page rather than the garden, this is PRECISELY the sort of information I need! I couldn’t be happier with my selection. Arranged like an illustrated encyclopedia with an easy index in the back for popular names, this book will be a companion on my writing desk for any time flowers may appear in my work. The vintage illustrations are stunning, and I love that the author includes even the symbolism of flowers by color when relevant. My only complaint with this book is that I dearly wish it came in hardcover.

Flowers are listed by scientific name and need to be found in the list of common names in the back to locate in the book, which is actually functional and thorough, but added a layer of time to my project. Other than that, this is the best reference book on this particular subject I've found, and I have about ten sources from the original translated french texts, library scans of original victorian tomes, and modern books to playing cards and online collections. An excellent and meticulous collection of helpful references for the flower language lover! I was delighted and surprised at the sheer mass of info and how well it's organized. Get this one for sure!

Beautiful illustrations and great information about flower varieties.

What a beautiful book! Starting with the illustrations that just capture the flowers in such a beautiful, but also simple way and then giving the symbolic meaning, powers, folklore and facts, it was a fun book to dip into and out of to just enjoy the facts behind flowers.Before I dove into the full book, I looked up my favorite - the sunflower and the tulips and it was so fun to read the meanings behind the ones I hold close to my heart and in my garden!This will be a fun gift for my friends who also care most about flowers.

I have received and reviewed the "The Complete Language of Herbs," which is the eighth volume in "the Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia" series. That books is beautiful and full of fun information, so I wanted to see what was in the rest of the series. The other volumes trend toward the "mystical arts," but Theresa Dietz compiled a book on flowers (vol. 6). I figured if I liked one, I might like the other. I was right, and it might be a beautiful gift book for the botanist, gardener, florist, and/or witch in your life. The entries are all alphabetical by the scientific name of the flower. The information given includes: toxicity (when applicable), common name, symbolic and component meanings, powers, and folklore and facts. Each of the flowers is rendered in a beautiful watercolor. Indexes include common flower names and common flower meanings.I love the idea that each flower has its own special meaning. Nowadays, we all kind of remember that red roses are for love, pink are for romance, yellow for friendship and white for sorrow, but a long time ago, people could communicate the depth and complexity of their feelings just by choosing what flowers might appear in a bouquet. For instance, according to the book including some hydrangea in your flower arrangement might mean you are accusing someone of being a boaster, bearing false pride, or being prideful, or accusing them of being cold and frigid, OR as an example of thankfulness and appreciation. Depending on what other flowers were in the arrangement might help the recipient determine that message.Suffice it to say, this is a neat book. However, I took away one star because the publishers committed the cardinal sin when publishing a series. This book is a pocket edition, and as such, is not the same size as the book on herbs. What could have looked nice on the bookshelf will now look silly because one book is a nice coffee table size and the other . . . is not. SMH. However, if that doesn't matter to you, please check out this beautiful book. I like it, and "herbs" so much that I've already ordered the third book on "food." Can't wait to see what that brings.

great read and information

Great book to take on a walk in the garden!