see it clearly
First Principle
The first principle to be observed in the construction of the floral love-letter is that the pronoun I or me is expressed by inclining the flower to the left, and the pronoun thou or thee by sloping it to the right; but when represented by drawings on paper, those positions should be reversed, as the flower should lean to the heart of the person whom it is to signify. The articles a, an, and the may be expressed by tendrils--the first by a single tendril, the second by a double tendril, and the third by one with three branches.
Second Principle
The second principle is that, if a flower presented upright expresses a particular sentiment, when reversed it has a contrary meaning. Thus, for example, a rose-bud upright, with its thorns and its leaves, means, "I fear, but I hope." If the same bud is returned, held downward, it signifies, "You must neither hope nor fear." But, if the thorns be stripped off, it expresses, "There is everything to hope." Deprived of its leaves it signifies, there is everything to fear." Thus the expression may be varied of almost all the flowers by changing their position. The flower of the marigold, for example, placed on the head, signifies, "Trouble of spirits;" on the heart, "Trouble of love;" on the bosom, "Weariness." The pansy, held upright, denotes "Heart's-case;" reversed, it speaks the contrary; when presented upright it is understood to say, "Think of me;" but when offered pendant, it means, "Forget me."
And thus the amaryllis, which is the emblem of pride, may be made to express, "My pride is humbled," or "Your pride is checked," by holding it downward, either to the left or the right, as the sense requires. In the same manner, the wallflower, which is made the emblem of fidelity in misfortune, if presented with the stalk upward, would insinuate that the person was considered no friend to the unfortunate.