Plants for a Mary Garden: Yellow Bedstraw (Galium verum) Lady’s Bedstraw
Karen Meyers The link between Galium verum and Mary arises out of early customs and legend. The dried stems and flowers of the plant were used to stuff mattresses especially for women…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum)
Several different legends connect Ornithogalum umbellatum to the Virgin Mary. The most well-known says that after a bright star guided the Magi to the manger where Mary tended to the…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Carnation (Dianthus carophyllus) Mary’s Love of God
The link between Dianthus carophyllus and Mary is based on legend. One legend tells us that it bloomed on the night of Jesus’ birth as a sign of Mary’s joy.…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris)
The link between Mary and the wild tulip comes from the appearance of the flowers and legend. The flower is thought to resemble hands folded in prayer, as shown in…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Hollyhock Mallow (Malva alcea) The Virgin’s Bread
The link between the Virgin Mary and Malva alcea probably reflects a combination of its edible and medicinal qualities which suggested a symbolic association with Mary’s purity and role as…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Woodbine (Lonicera periclymenum) Our Lady’s Fingers
The link between woodbine and the Virgin Mary rests on the physical characteristics of the plant and Christian legend. The tubular flowers resemble slender fingers and may symbolize Mary’s gentle…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Cowslip (Primula veris)
Primula veris is known as Our Lady’s Keys due to the appearance of its flower clusters and Christian legend. Early Christians thought that the drooping flower clusters resembled an old-fashion…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon) Our Lady’s Tears
The tears of Mary are linked to several plants including lily of the valley, larkspur, and spiderwort, as well as Turk’s cap lily. Tradition tells us that the tears of…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a relatively new introduction in Mary gardens. It was first introduced to European gardens in the early 19th century as an ornamental plant and was absorbed into…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Cranesbill (Geranium maculata) Our Lady’s Pins
Early European settlers learned about the medicinal use of G. maculata from the indigenous people of North America where the plant was native and they incorporated it into their own…