Verdant Views: Written in Petals

White lilies for grief. Snowdrops for hope. Daisies for innocence. Red roses for love, yellow for friendship. Floriography – sending messages with flowers – is an ancient art, rooted in the symbolism of China, Egypt, and Assyria.  In 19th century Europe a floriography-centered publishing industry that produced poetry, dictionaries, essay collections and often exquisite botanical art flourished.  In this episode of Verdant Views, host Kevin Moss welcomes Michael Cook, Head of Collections, and Karl Rozyn, Exhibits Curator, both with the Albert R. Mann Library at Cornell, for a discussion of the online exhibit they created for the Library. Drawing from a collection of gems donated to Mann by garden writer Isabel Zucker ’26, this new online exhibit provides a tour of the Language of Flowers as a cultural phenomenon that flourished during the Victorian era. As this display reminds us, what we humans see in nature—in this case flowers—reveals much about how we see and relate to ourselves. Suggested donation: $10-12.

Pre-registration is required. Please register through the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/verdant-views-written-in-petals-registration-342292625457

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please scroll to the bottom of the email to find the link. The webinar will be recorded and available for viewing online after the live broadcast. Participants in the live presentation will have the opportunity to pose questions.

Verdant Views is an ongoing webinar series hosted by Kevin Moss of Cornell Botanic Gardens. Each episode focuses on a different topic related to plants, gardens, conservation, sustainability, and the vital connections between plants and peoples around the world.