# hearts and flowers

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hearts-and-flowers
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Ideal romance.

## Examples

- Their relationship is all hearts and flowers right now.
- He expected their marriage to be all hearts and flowers, but he soon realized that real life requires much more work.
- The novel begins with a scene of hearts and flowers, yet it quickly descends into a dark and complicated tale of betrayal.

## Origin

From the title of the song *Hearts and Flowers*, published in 1893. The composition gained widespread use as a standard accompaniment for melodramatic photoplay, providing the expected musical backdrop for scenes of sentimental distress during the era of silent film.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.