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                                               Intro Mary Garden

Niche Mary Gardens

John S. Stokes Jr.

Through the years many have written us that they have planted their
Mary Garden as a niche or nook in a larger garden; as a recessed
corner of a building's landscaping; as an arrangement of terrace or
courtyard potted plants; or as some other special or private place,
representing Mary as the "Garden Enclosed".

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Such a Mary Garden may have a small figure or image of Our Lady or a
tiny grotto as a focus just for the niche; or, as a "hidden" garden,
it may be composed around a special plant symbol of Mary's
presence, perhaps in its own container, such as "The Virgin" (Zinnia
elegens), "Mary" (Vriesia mariae), "Our Lady of the Meadow"
(Filipendula ulmaria), "Lady-Lords" (Arum maculatum or
Spathophillium hybrids), and "Our Lady of the Lake" (Nymphaea alba).

Niche Mary Gardens have been planted by members of religious
communities who, not having an opportunity for a larger Mary Garden,
have arranged a few plants in a little corner or nook of the
community grounds.

We recall our joy in finding such a niche Mary Garden in a corner
behind St. Helena's Church in Northeast Philadelphia where in the
1950's we sometimes stopped for morning Mass, while driving past on
the way to work.  There it was, almost hidden, with one each (it was
spring) of "Our Lady's Pincushion" (Armeria maritima), "Mary's Sword
of Sorrow" (Iris), "Mary's Humility" (Viola odorata), "Trinity
Flower"/"Our Lady's Delight" (Viola tricolor), "Our Lady's Keys"
(Primula veris), and several others.

The careful way in which these plants were positioned, cultivated,
watered, and the spent blooms removed bespoke great love and
devotion.  We later learned that the planting had been made by one
of the Sisters of St.Joseph in the convent accross the street (Our
first school Mary Garden having been planted in a niche beside the
classroom  building of St. Hubert's Girls' High School, of the
Sisters of St. Joseph, also in Northeast Philadelphia).

We discovered another such "hidden" garden while walking past a town
house in the Back Bay section of Boston.  A little spot of light
beneath some shrubs to the left of the entrance steps caught our
eye, and there was a little figurine of Our Lady nestled in some
ivy, "Where God has Walked" (Hedera helix), with single plants of
"Mary's Heart" (Dicentra spectabilis), "Virgin Flower" (Vinca minor)
and "Our Lady's Modesty" (Viola odorata).  As we walked past this
building from time to time throughout the year, we observed the
substitution of other Flowers of Our Lady for seasonal bloom.  As we
would drive past in our car we could not see this niche, but we
would say a prayer, knowing that it was there.


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In the fall of 1996 our Irish Mary's Gardens Associate, Bro. Sean
MacNamara, was transferred to a Christian Brothers monastery at
Tullamore, Co. Offaly, where, in the spring of 1997, he was able to
plant a niche Mary Garden within the larger community garden, for
which on May 26th he constructed a miniature Marian grotto, of which
he wrote:

     "Behind the small statue of Our Lady of Knock is a small
     piece from the apparition wall in Knock.  Beside the grotto
     are plants from Fatima and Medjugorge.  Our Lady's Mantle and
     Heathers are in the background.  The irregular shaped stones
     on top are from the Burren, Co. Clare.

     "To date I have growing in the Mary Garden: Marygolds, Pinks,
     Plantain Lily, Pansy, Alyssum, London Pride, Cornflower,
     Forget-me-not, Wall-pepper, Columbine, Stock, Roses, Begonias,
     Bugle, Heather, Lady's Mantle, Cowslip, Primrose, Daffs,
     Tulips, Snow-drops, Wallflowers, Hollyhock, Dahlias."

(We, at Mary's Gardens, know and love the Mary-flowers so well, that
in our "in house" communications we often refer to them by their
common  names for brevity and clarity.)


Copyright Mary's Gardens, 1997