While writing the story “Undark” (see STORIES) in which a fictional sister of one of Radium Girls paints floral designs on dishes, I researched the symbolic names of flowers. Here are a few familiar flower names (and their intriguing meanings): White Stargazer Lily (innocence restored to the soul of the deceased); Daffodils (a single means misfortune; a bunch signifies renewal and a fresh start); Alstroemeria (wealth, prosperity, fortune); Anemone (fading hope or anticipation); Hydrangea (heartfelt emotions; positive is gratitude, negative is heartlessness); Peony (compassion & good health or indignation & shame). Flower names, like the best fiction, can mean both one thing and the opposite. Read more about the Radium Girls and flower symbolism in BEHIND THE STORY.
