Picture used with permission by Aida YaredSpring is here and no doubt most of you are planning your gardens. Since we are in the month dedicated to the Blessed Mother of God, why not make a Mary's Garden?
In a book I bought at a book sale a long time ago there was a chapter on Biblical gardens. One section dealt with what flowers could be included in a "Mary" Garden:
Picture of the lily courtesy of This siteAll white flowers represent the Blessed Mother's purity and holiness. One such flower that you can plant would be white snowdrops. The White Lily is to remind us of the Visitation of Our Lady.
Picture of the rose courtesy of THIS SITEThe rose is the flower most associated with the Blessed Mother because it is believed to be the first that blossomed at Our Savior's birth, closed at His crucifixion and reopened at the first Easter Sunday. Roses are also a symbol of God's love.
"One of the most picturesque rose miracles is the creation of the rosary, which is found in the early history of almost every Christian Country. The story is told and retold of the young man who made the Virgin an offering of 150 roses each day. The roses he wove into a wreath for her altar. Eventually he became a monk in an austere order, and in his new way of life it bothered him that he had neither time nor opportunity to continue performing the devotion to his adored Lady. The abbe whom he consulted advised him, instead to say 150 Aves to the Blessed Virgin each day, assuring him that they would be just as acceptable to her as his daily offering of roses. Thereafter at a certain hour each day, the young man knelt at the altar of the Blessed Virgin repeating the required number of Aves".From the book mentioned above...The Book of Religious Holidays and Celebrations by Maguerite Ickis
Daffodil picture courtesy of THIS SITEDaffodil's are in remembrance of the Annunciation.
Rosemary picture courtesy of THIS SITERosemary. Legend has it that the flowers of this plant were originally white. However, they turned blue, the color associated with the Blessed Mother's color,"in reward for service it offered when Our Lady looked for some bush on which to spread her sky-blue gown on her way from Bethlehem".
Thistle picture courtesy of THIS SITEThistle. Our Lady's thistle has green leaves spotted with white caused by some drops of the Virgin's milk flowing upon them.
Lily-of-the-Valley picture courtesy of THIS SITELily-of-the-Valley is sometimes called Our Lady's Tears. It is the favorite flower in many countries to decorate her shrine for the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th.
Foxglove picture courtesy of THIS SITEFoxglove. The bell-shaped flowers cover with small blank dots is called Our Lady's thimble.
Snowdrop. This delicate flower blossoms early in the spring, sometimes between patches of melting snow. Little bouquets of snowdrops are the first floral tribute of the year to shrines of the Madonna.
Lily. This stately dignified flower has been associated with Jesus and Mary since early times. It is used at Easter to symbolize radiance of the Lord's risen life.
Snowdrops picture courtesy of THIS SITEFor more information on creating a Mary's Garden or to learn more about the history, etc., please visit Mary's Garden Home Page
