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"   (Photo by Laura Moss) Before you judge a Valentine&amp;#039;s Day bouquet by its cover, you&amp;#039;d be wise to take a minute to learn the history and meaning behind different flowers. In the Victorian era, dictionaries of floriography helped people decode their cuttings. This was crucial, because while some blossoms were friendly \u2014 like asters, which connoted daintiness \u2014 while others were downright hostile. For example, begonias meant &amp;quot;Beware!&amp;quot; Just imagine the fights that could be sparked by a man hitting up a flower market to choose a bouquet for his beloved. The unsuspecting bloke could unwittingly choose a pretty hydrangea, not knowing that it signified frigidity. Better watch out at farmer&amp;#039;s markets, too: That fresh head of lettuce represents coldheartedness. Though Shakespeare and Jane Austen often alluded to flower symbolism in their writings, we don&amp;#039;t give it much thought today. But just in case your better half happens to be a big-time history buff, here&amp;#039;s a quick primer on flowers&amp;#039; covert codes. Perfect Picks   (Photo by Lucas Allen) Cosmos: This charming flower signified &amp;quot;joy in love and life.&amp;quot;    (Photo by Aimee Herring) Red Rose: The quintessential Valentine&amp;#039;s Day classic is the gold standard for a reason: The red rose symbolizes love, making it a truly romantic keepsake.    (Photo by Sondra Paulson) Heliotrope: &amp;quot;Devoted affection&amp;quot; has never looked so sweet.    (Photo by Tine Edinger) Tulip: These stunners are a declaration of love. Flowers to Skip   (Photo by Jane Booth Vollers) Lobelia: Surprisingly, these airy purple blooms (to the left of the petunias, above) were said to connote malevolence.    (Photo by Miki Duisterhof) Peony: The voluminous petals make us swoon. Who would have guessed that they represent &amp;quot;anger?&amp;quot;  TELL US: What&amp;#039;s your favorite flower to get on Valentine&amp;#039;s Day? This article originally appeared on CountryLiving.com "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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