Interest in the language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, soared in Victorian England and in the U.S. during the 19th C. Gifts of blooms, plants, and specific floral arrangements were used to send a coded message to the recipient, allowing the sender to express feelings which could not be spoken forthright in Victorian society. Kate Greenaway (1846-1901), whose images are found on many favored buttons, illustrated “The Language of Flowers” (1884).
