Tussie Mussies and the Language of Flowers

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I am sharing a brief introduction to Tussie Mussies and the Language of Flowers!

The language of flowers became one of the sweetest parts of my everyday life many years ago. Today, as I’m tending to my potted herbs in the Florida sun or designing a bouquet with a few fresh flowers, I’m reminded that each plant carries a meaning far beyond its petals.  A snip of rosemary feels like remembrance, a cluster of zinnias becomes a burst of joy, and even the simplest wildflower has a story tucked inside it. Learning these old‑world meanings has woven a little extra intention into the way I garden, cook, and create a home — a perfect reflection of my journey from flowers to flour, and the heart I try to put into every part of my life.

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Before We Dig In – 

Welcome, friend — however you found your way here today, I’m truly glad you stopped by. I’m Kimberly, a former florist turned pizzeria owner who somehow fell in love with both flowers and flour, and all the beautifully imperfect, rusty‑chippy Brocante treasures I discovered along the way.  Most days you’ll find me in the lanai, tending to my herbs, refreshing my patio pots, or simply dreaming up new ways to bring a little intention and heart into my everyday living.

I’ve learned so much over the years, and sharing those lessons has become one of my greatest joys. Sometimes that looks like a story from my life, other times it’s a craft, a recipe, or a simple idea that makes home feel a bit more loved. And yes — you’ll often see me swap “thyme” for “time,” because around here, the garden has a way of sneaking into everything I do.

My hope is that your thyme here today leaves you inspired — maybe to see your home or your garden with fresh eyes, or to use something you already have in a new, creative way.

Tussie Mussies and the Language of Flowers

The language of flowers is very interesting topic. The language of herbs and flowers has been used in Europe for centuries, but it reached its height of popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria.  The first floral dictionary was assembled in France in 1819.  This work became the basis for several floral dictionaries that were published in later years.

Every plant had a different meaning.  Sometimes a single plant could have different meanings depending on how the plant was used or grown.  Certain plants had religious significance as well.  The language of herbs and flowers is called floriography.

In Victorian times, messages were sent via the use of tussie mussies.  Tussie mussies date back to the 1400s. They were small bundles of herbs and flowers, each with a symbolic meaning, carried to help ward off sickness and freshen the air.  Tussie mussies are sometimes referred to as nosegays. The name came from ladies holding the bouquets close to their noses whenever they would leave their homes.

Tussie mussies were often wrapped in a doily.  The sender would carefully chose a variety of herbs and flowers to convey various sentiments.

Uses Today –

I used herbal symbolism in my wedding.

My bouquet included a combination of herbs and flowers.  White roses to symbolize love, lavender for devotion, rosemary for remembrance, ivy for fidelity and scented geraniums for preference.

White Roses

Scented Geraniums

Lavender

Rosemary

Save This Pin for Later

 

Tussie Mussie or A Hand tied Bouquet as a Gift

A tussie mussie is a way to express a variety of sentiments such as love, friendship, thank you, congratulations, thinking of you and even get well.  Be sure to include a note with the floral meanings so that your recipient can see how much thought you put into their gift!

 

 

For example, if you were to send someone a bouquet similar to the one above, you could include a note that reads:

Red Roses for romance, white carnations for pure love and beauty, myrtle for peace

Language of Herbs and Flowers in other Floral Gifts

Floriography isn’t just for cut flowers.  You can use it to convey messages when sending a European Dish Garden or planter, too!

The note for this one could read: yellow roses for friendship and ivy for consistency.  A perfect gift for a longtime friend!  If you are interested in learning how I put this dish garden together, all the details can be found here: Brighten Your Day!

Digging a little deeper into the topic of the language of herbs and flowers, did you know different colors of tulips have different meanings? 

You can find the post here: Valentine, Please Put Your Tulips Next to Mine!

Dianthus or “pinks” are in the carnation family.

I briefly touched on their floral meaning in this post: How to Divide Dianthus (Carnations)

I can’t forget to mention pansies.  They were one of my Mom’s favorites! The pansy had several different meanings, mostly surrounding the word thought or thinking.  Using pansies in a tussie mussie could also signify that one person was missing the other person.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction into Tussie Mussies and the Language of Flowers!

If you want to see how I made the bouquet featured in the first photo, you can find it by linking the title under this photo!

How to Make A Hand Tied Bouquet

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