Groundcovers for Shade: Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Karen Lily of the valley is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere and grows best where summers are warm but not hot. Each plant…
Plants for a Mary Garden : Sea Thrift ( Armeria maritima) Our Lady’s Cushion
Karen Meyers Armeria maritima is associated with the Flight into Egypt by the Holy Family which is described in the Gospel of Matthew (2: 13-15). According to this account, after the birth…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
This short lived tender perennial is native to southern Europe and North Africa but has naturalized in much of Europe where it is grown as an annual. . It is…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Strawberries have a long history going back to Neolithic times and continuing into the rich heritage of ancient Greece and Rome and beyond. According to version of Greek mythology, strawberries…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Rose
Roses have been cultivated since 500 BC in Persia and China and were well-loved by the ancient Roman’s and Greeks. As Christianity spread through the Roman Empire the rose was…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum)
The Madonna lily has been revered since ancient times and was considered a symbol of beauty, fertility and wealth. The ancient Egyptian dedicated it to Isis, the goddess of motherhood…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Iris (Iris sp.)
Iris is a genus of herbaceous perennials mostly found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere from Europe to Asia and across North America. They grow from creeping rhizomes in moist environments…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Sweet Violet (Viola odorata)
Native to Europe and Asia, this herbaceous perennial belongs to the plant family Violaceae, that also includes pansies and johnny jump ups. It grows 4-10″ tall and has a basal…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
Also called myrtle and the Virgin flower this perennial evergreen vine is a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that also includes milkweed, oleander, and bluestar. It is native from…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Also known as maypop, wild apricot, and wild passion vine this perennial deciduous flowering vine is native to Southeastern US where it grows near riverbanks and in thickets and disturbed…