Moon & Flower Terms, Explained
Clear, factual explanations of the ideas behind the site — the real astronomy of moon phases, where the birth-flower custom comes from, and how the Victorian language of flowers assigned meanings to blooms.
Concept
Phases of the Moon
The eight recurring shapes of the moon, caused simply by the changing angle from which we see its sunlit half.
ConceptThe Birth-Flower Tradition
The custom of assigning a flower to each month of the year — a cultural convention, more folklore than fixed rule.
ConceptThe Language of Flowers (Floriography)
The Victorian-era system of coding messages into flowers — the historical source of most flower 'meanings' today.
ConceptWaxing & Waning
The two halves of the lunar cycle — the moon growing toward full, then shrinking back toward new.