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Can't Say it? Bouquet it!

‘The Posy Book’ puts together meaningful floral arrangements that speak volumes

Teresa Sabankaya is a gardener, a floral designer, and owner of the Bonny Doon Garden Company in Santa Cruz, California. But in her heart of hearts, Sabankaya is a botanical linguist who wants us all to become conversant in the language of flowers.  

Sometimes it’s hard to say what we really mean, most notably on occasions when we’re expected to be especially thoughtful and well-spoken. Hello, Valentine’s Day. Thankfully, Sabankaya wrote “The Posy Book, Garden-Inspired Bouquets That Tell a Story,” a beautiful love letter to the art of communicating with flowers.

The idea of floral symbolism has been around for a very long time but rose in popularity in 19th Century England when romantic (and repressed) Victorians devised a sentiment-laden code cloaked in blossoms to articulate feelings and emotions that they couldn’t otherwise bring themselves to declare out loud.

It’s so true, flowers speak volumes when we’re at a loss for words: I love you, I miss you, I’m proud of you, I'm so sorry you’re not in my bubble. The tradition may be old-fashioned, but ever since gatherings were shuttered and life moved online, posy sales at Bonny Doon Garden Company are way up. Now more than ever, we’re sending flowers when we can’t show up in person. 

Read the entire story in the link below

GROW in The Seattle Times