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The Secret Language of Flowers Every Plant Lover Should Know

The Secret Language of Flowers Every Plant Lover Should Know

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness September 1, 2026 Duration: 44:15
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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How can we use flowers to further connect with nature and with the world? My mom once photocopied an entire flower dictionary for me from the thick pages of The Language of Flowers. I loved that she did it, but then I never really used it because it was too dense and there were a lot of meanings nobody says out loud anymore. But then I’ve thought deeply about it. I've grown dahlias my whole life. I have four hibiscus in my front lawn now. What if those choices were saying something? So I sat down with Mary Kelava, a former florist and author of A Bouquet of Words, to finally learn the language of flowers as a gardener. Come learn with me!

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [01:27] Meet Mary Kelava!
  • [02:12] How she became a florist and a flower language expert
  • [03:41] Two types of flower books you’re bound to read!
  • [06:08] My mom’s photocopied dictionary part of ‘The Language of Flowers’
  • [07:41] Where does the language of flowers come from?
  • [10:21] How did the Victorian era understand the language of flowers?
  • [11:38] What the flowers you're drawn to might be telling you
  • [12:46] Why color, personal memory, and fragrance matter as much as the meaning
  • [15:03] Espoma Organic
  • [16:54] Leslie Halleck's new book, Home Greenhouse Revival
  • [18:30] Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet, Queen Elizabeth's funeral flowers, and a Lego hibiscus
  • [20:16] Do flower colors carry meanings of their own, or is it just color psychology?
  • [21:46] What zinnias mean, and how to handle flowers bred in every color
  • [22:58] What the research for her book ‘A Bouquet of Words’ looked like
  • [23:57] Do flower meanings hold up across cultures?
  • [25:35] How to start learning the language of flowers easily
  • [27:02] How to build a themed garden with meaning using easy-to-grow flowers
  • [28:29] Planning a flower memorial garden for a pet
  • [31:01] How to write notes that go with the bouquet
  • [32:29] Bringing this to the florist (or to the $6.99 Trader Joe's flowers)
  • [34:46] Bouquet recipes for housewarmings, Christmas, and new babies
  • [36:26] What are some birth month and zodiac flowers?
  • [37:02] Get well flowers, and giving hydrangea to someone who's persevered
  • [37:50] Why Mary assigns a signature flower to her closest friends
  • [38:34] What flowers to give someone in grief?
  • [40:49] Where to find Mary and A Bouquet of Words!

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

To grow flowers that have meaning to you,

check out the full show notes and blog for Mary's recommendations!

 

Follow Mary:

Website
Instagram
Blogs

 

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Quarto: Home Greenhouse Revival by Leslie F. Halleck

Home Greenhouse Revival is available for pre-order now at quarto.com and launches in September. Pre-order your copy wherever books are sold or through your local bookstore.

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria


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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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