From the Studio: Choosing the Blooms

The original illustration of pink roses and the hand-marbled paper used to develop the Strength card

Flowers are thought to speak a language - thus, their importance in so many of our rituals as well as their enduring values as gifts and in art.

In selecting a flower to illustrate each card, we especially relied on thoughtful books by writers like Shane Connolly and Jean-Michele Othoniel, who delved into the symbolism of flowers in art and in arrangements.

"The Secret Language of Flowers", by Jean-Michel Othoniel

"Discovering the Meaning of Flowers", by Shane Connolly

Each source we consulted offered new insights and stories that inspired our imaginations - even for a flower with as "obvious" a backstory as the rose.

"The Language of Flowers" by Marina Heilmeyer

"Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom" by Editors Phaidon

The language of flowers is an endlessly rich and evolving trove of story and meaning - we feel so lucky to have been able to build upon the scholarship and diligence of these sources to choose the blooms for each of the cards in our Major Arcana.

The Garden Journey's Guide Book offers an introduction to the tarot, as well as an explanation of each card's meaning in both the Major Arcana and the language of flowers.

The Garden Journey's guide book provides a guide to each card and its meaning in the language of flowers