I love vintage things. I love to browse the local second hand shops looking for little treasures from times past. A lace handkerchief, an embroidered tea towel, or perhaps a silver sugar bowl -- I find enjoyment and comfort incorporating these cherished items from the past into my home.
I feel the same about traditions and customs. As a Floral Designer, I’ve watched many trends come and go through the years. One floral tradition which has enjoyed a renewed and enduring popularity is the tussie- mussie.
The tussie, a small, hand tied bouquet, has had a long and interesting history. Although used during Elizabethan times for its aroma and purported medicinal qualities, this little bouquet gained its greatest popularity in Victorian England. The Victorians elevated the art of communicating with flowers to a new level, ascribing meaning and emotion to most every bloom, greenery and herb. The sender would thoughtfully select flowers for the tussie-mussie (or “word posey”) that reflected his affection and feelings for the recipient.
While we have mostly abandoned the use of floral dictionaries, we have happily embraced the tussie-mussie as a fragrant and charming alternative to the wrist or pin-on corsage, for weddings or any special occasion. I think the popularity of this ages old tradition is here to stay!
Mary