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                                               Intro Mary Garden
Mary's Gardens

Shrines of Beauty and Inspiration

Bonnie Roberson

Our Lady of the Cape                           April-June 1976


	Mary's Gardens are more than "A pretty garden for Our Lady";
they are gardens composed of plants and flowers that were given
religious names by the early Christians, when there were no
botanical names known for the plant by most gardeners - names that
were symbolic of Christian truths, which by their growth or time
of bloom brought to mind God  - Jesus - the Holy Ghost - the
Blessed Trinity - or virtues of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as well
as the Saints and Angels.  For the most part the greater number
were names associated with the Virgin; names having a prefix of
Lady's - Lady, Our Lady, Virgin's, Mary - are in reference to her
according to the English Oxford Dictionary.

	As time went on, gardens were planted not only for food, but
designed and planted for meditation - or prayer gardens.  These
were called "Mary Gardens", or "St. Mary's Garden", such as the
one at Norwich Priory in England in 1431.  Many great artists
painted such gardens in "Books of Hours".  These paintings were
used as teaching symbols for the unlearned, for few could read but
did identify the Saints by their symbols: St. Dorothy by the
basket of apples and roses, St. Elizabeth by roses in the fold of
her robe, the Virgin Mary by lilies and roses, St. Patrick by
the Shamrock, St. Joseph with the Lily.

.

 All white flowers were dedicated
 to the Virgin.  Healing herbs were
 known as "Our Lady's Balm" - sweet
 scented plants and herbs often
 called "Sweet Mary."  Others were
 "Mary Love" - "Beautiful Lady" -
 "Lady's Delight" - "Mary's Tears"
 - "Heart of Mary" - "Eyes of Mary",
 and other endearing names.  Even
 the "Lady Bug" was so called for
 its beneficial work in the garden.
 Plants having leaves with white
 spots were "Our Lady's milk drops",
 and brought to mind the Virgin's
 motherly care of her child.  Such
 were the thoughts of the early
 Christian gardener.



	Now for a look at modern secular floral symbolism.  The
modern hybridizer names each new variety of plant, so one may
choose the one best suited for one's garden.  These names are
often named for people, places or pleasant events: "The
Doctor" - "Western Sunset" - "New Yorker" - "Chicago".  Some few
use Christian names.  One Begonia hybridizer has a list of begonia
plants for the saints, "St. Mary" being one.  Sequoia Nursery
lists Miniature Rose - "White Madonna."  There is an 'Ave Maria'
iris available. Modern floral thought and custom use plants
associated with the season: poinsettia for Christmas, lily for
Easter, carnations for Mothers' Day, and red roses are popular for
St. Valentines' Day. Here we also have floral symbolism, but
rarely think of it as such.

	But the early "Mary Gardener", living close to the earth and
to his Church, had a symbolism quite different from ours.  He
was aware of the importance of gardening, for his very life
depended on growing plants: food from the vegetables, fruit from
vine and trees, shelter and fuel from the forests, grain to feed
his livestock which furnished milk, cheese and meat, and his leather
and transportation.  Herbs were his only medicine, fiber plants for
clothing, and flowers for beauty and for decorating his place of
worship: all that was necessary for his survival, and need of
beauty. He was aware that plants were created on the third day,
and Man on the sixth.

	The parables of Jesus were many times direct references to
the flora.  Consider the lilies of the field: even Solomon, in
all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.  Consider the unjust
tax collector, "You tax of Mint and Rue, and all manner of herbs,
and omit the greater law, Justice and Charity."  Our Lord suffered
in a garden - His tomb was in a garden - His resurrection was in a
garden, and on the first Easter morning in the dim light, Mary
Magdalen thought he was the gardener.  You will see many paintings
of this scene.  They portray Our Lord as leaning on a garden spade
- symbolic of His work being completed for our redemption.  Is it
any wonder the early Christians had so much love for a garden ?

	Although the Mary Garden, as we know it in America today, had
its beginning in 1932 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, at St.
Joseph's Church, there were many in Europe throughout the
centuries, according to Garden History, and many plants have their
"Mary Names" to this day: Marygold, Lady's Slipper, Virgin's
Bower, and hundreds of others.  We have documented some 1,600 such
names, from many languages which were found in old flower
dictionaries, herbals and legends.

	Tropical flora from our neighbors in South America, Central
America and Mexico, is rich in such colloquial names: Prayer
Plant, Rosary Vine, Holy Ghost Orchid, and Passion Vine.  For as the
missionaries carried Christianity to these countries, native people
saw, in their own flora, a resemblance to the Christian truths.
Poinsettia bloomed at Christmas, so was Flor de Noche Bueno, Holy
Night flower.  The prayer plant folds its leaves at night. The
Rosary Vine has 'beads' along the stem.  In the Eucharist lily, they
saw the chalice.  The Passion Vine has symbols of the passion of Our
Lord.  The orchid had the form of a dove in the center - symbol of
the Holy Ghost. These tropical plants are used in the indoor Mary
Garden, now that air transportation permits rapid delivery to any
country. Such was not true in ages past, and all gardens had only
a limited selection of plants.

	An indoor Mary Garden with a suitable statue makes an
attractive shrine for the home: for the shut-in, the many who have
no garden space, and for the aged who can care for them with
little work.  Mary Gardens can be used as lovely gifts to friends.
Perhaps to one we have neglected, it may mean a renewal of the
once great friendship we had.  The Florists' Association puts it
very simply and to the point, "Say it with Flowers".

	Now that gardening is very much in evidence, to supplement
our food budget, and isn't it on everyone's mind to 'Make America
Beautiful', isn't it time to grow a Christian symbolically named
Mary Garden as well (either indoor or outdoor)?   Let us honor
Mary, Our Lord's mother, with God's artistry, and bring beauty and
joy to others.


Reprinted with permission.

Photo added by Mary's Gardens.