The Tussie-Mussie

Using flowers to communicate was a common Victorian-era way of announcing feelings. The “tussie-mussie” is a small bundle of flowers and herbs used to express coded messages—usually about love and affection.

If you want to bring back this sweet custom, here are a few things you should know about what flowers say. As you can see, different colors can send very different messages.

Roses

Red - True love

White - Eternal love

Yellow - Friendship or jealousy

Light Pink - Grace

Dark Pink - Gratitude

Coral or orange - Desire and passion

Red and white together - Unity

Red and yellow together -

Joy and happiness

Thornless roses - Love at first sight

Carnations

Pink - A woman’s love

White - Disdain

Purple - Whimsical

Red - Longing

Yellow - Disappointment

Striped - Rejection