This profusely illustrated archive of more than 200 flowers, plants, and trees was compiled by Ernst and Johanna Lehner -- two of the world's foremost collectors of pictorial symbols (who also happen to be devoted flower enthusiasts). Their comprehensive collection, with illustrations selected from rare sources, extends from the image of a pomegranate, the Chinese symbol of fertility, to a basket of flowers in a nineteenth-century Valentine silhouette. A profusion of bouquets, wreaths, flowers of the months, and other floral designs are also included.
In examining the symbolism of flora,...