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Intro Mary Garden
Our Mother of Consolation Parish Mary Garden
Philadelphia, 1965
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Each morning the 400 pupils of Our Mother of Consolation Parlsh
school in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, look for new growth and
flowers in their "Mary Garden" in front of the school. So, too, do
their Pastor Father John F Casey O.S.A; their teachers, the Sisters
of St. Joseph, who look out on the garden from their convent; and
pessers-by on Chestnut Hill Avenue.
The Mary Garden was established at Father Casey's suggestion in
April of 1965 in memory of Mother Aloysia Marie S.S.J., Principal of
the school for many years, who died the previous fall. It was dug
and planted by William Morgan, school custodian, with the help of
the pupils, around a figure of the Virgin and Child according to a
plan designed by parishioner John S Stokes Jr., horticulturalist
and authority on medievel plant symbolism.
It is cared for as a religious work in the spirit of old
monastery gardens. Last fall bulbs were planted, giving early
blooms this spring.
In the tradition of medievel Mary Gardens. the parish garden
consists entirely of plants - some sixty annual, biennial and
perennial species in a11 - which bore religious names and symbolism
in old popular religious traditions of European monasteries and
countrysides. Plant markers give the present-day names, old
religious names and the botanical names of the plants.
Central Bed
The cycle of bloom begins with snowdrops and crocuses, named of
old, "Candlemas Bells" and "St. Joseph's Lily" from the feasts of
the church year for which they bloom in many places. In April come
grape hyacinth (Lent Flower), daffodil (Easter Bells), hyacinth
(Easter Spikes), and candytuft (Easter Flower. Also, cowslip
primrose (Our Lady's Keys), forget-me-nots (Eyes of Mary), violets
(Our Lady's Humility), and pansies (Trinity Fiower): all named in
medieval Europe from the symbolism suggested by their forms and
colors.
The flowers of May, the month of the Virgin include sea pink
(Mary's Pincushion), lily-of-the-valley (Mary's Tears), dew cup
(Our Lady's Mantle), bleeding heart (Heart of Jesus), and peony
(Mary's Rose).
Blooms appear throughout the summer, including Madonna lilies
in June, Our Lady's Bedstraw in July, gladiolas (Ladder to Heaven)
in August, Michaelmas daisies in September, chrysanthemums (All
Saints Flower) in October, and many summer annual flowers such as
marlgold (Marygold) and cornflower (Mary's Crown) grown from seed
sown in April.
The many flowers named for the Virgin Mary recall that in
medieval times, before the days of printing and catechisms, the
truths of Christ were widely taught, recalled and meditated upon as
Mysteries in Mary's life, as they are today in the praying of the
Rosary.
The school children are given garden and classroom instruction
in the fundamantals of gardening and also in the origin of religious
plant symbolism in scripture, liturgy and folk legends. Observatlon
and care of the garden are incorporated in the school nature and
science programs. Last year many students started small Mary
Gardens of their own at home, in their yards, in window boxes, and
in indoor dish gardens around small figurines.
The public is welcomed to visit the garden at all times.
The Plants
A list of the flowers in the garden together with their religious
names and symbolism from old religious traditions, based on shape,
color or liturgical season of bloom.
Common Name Religious Name Common Name Religious Name
Aconite(Bb Feb) Christmas Flower Grape Hyac(Bb Apr) Lent Flower
Ageratum(A Jun) St. John's Flower Hollyhock(B Jul) St. Jos. Staff
Ajuga(P Jun) St Lawr.Gridiron Hyacinth(Bb Apr) Easter Spikes
Alyssum(A Jul) Mary's Flower Iris(P May) Mary's Sword
Aster,Smr(P Jul) Mary's Star Ivy(P - ) Adam's leaf
Aster,Fall(PSep) Michaelmas Daisy Job's Tears(A Jul) Rosary Tears
Baby'sBrth(P Jul)Our Lady's Veil LadysMantle(P May) Mary's Mantle
Balsam(A Jul) Jesus' Tears Lily-Val]ey(P May) Mary's Tears
Bedstraw(P Jul) Mary's Bedstraw MadonnaLily(Bb Jun)Mary Lily
Bellflower(P Jun)Our Lady's Bells Maiden Pink(P May) Mary's Pins
BledgHeart(P May)JesusTear,M.Heart Mallow(P Jun) St.SimeonsFlwr
Bluebells(P Jun) Our Lady's ThimbleMarigold(A Jul) Mary's Gold
Boxwood(P - ) Candlemas Greens MilkThistle(B Jun) O.L Thistle
Calendula(A Jul) Mary's Gold Mullein(B Jun) O.L. Candle
Campion(P Jun) Christ's Eye Narclssus(Bb Apr) Easter Star
Cant.Bells(B Jun)Mary's Bells Pansy(B Apr) Trinity Flower
Candytuft(P Apr) Easter Flower Peony(P May) Pentecost Rose
Catchfly(P May) Mary's Rose Petunia(A Jul) Mary's Praise
Chrysanth.(P Oct)All Saints Flower Phlox(P Jul) Christ's Cross
Columbine(P May) Our Lady's Shoes Ribbon Grass(P - ) Mary's Ribbons
Cornflower(A Jul)Mary's Crown Rocket(B May) Three Marys
Cowslip(P Apr) Our Lady's Keys Rose(P Jun) (Emblem, Mary)
Crocus(Bb Mar) St. Joseph's Lily Snapdragon(A Jul) InfJesus Shoes
Daffodil(Bb Aor) Easter Bells Snowdrops(Bb Feb) Candlems Bells
Dahlia(T Jul) Church Flower Spiderwort(P May) Mary's Tears
Delphinlum(P Jun)Beautiful Lady SweetWillm(B May) Mary's Tuft
Engl.DaisytB Apr)Mary-Love Teasel(B Jul) O.Lady's Basin
Forget-Not(B Apr)Eyes of Mary Thrift(P May) M. Pincushion
Foxglove(B Jun) Our Lady's Gloves Tulip(Bb May) Mary's Prayer
Geranium(T May) Gentle Virgin Valerian(P Jun.) M. Needlework
Gladiolus(T Aug) Ladder-to-Heaven Violet(P Apr) Mary's Modesty
Gloriosa(A Aug) St.Anthony's Rose Zinnea(A Jul) The Virgin
The notation following the common name of each plant indicates the
duration of its growth and the month it comes into bloom:
A - Annual Flower. Grown each year from seed sown directly in the
garden in late April, or sown earlier indoors and transplanted to
garden.
B - Biennial Flower. Grown each year from seed sown in June or
August for bloom the following year only.
P - Perennial Flower. Planted as mature plants in spring or fall,
after growth from seed, root divisions or rooted cuttings in nursery
beds away from garden. Bloom for a number or years.
Bb- Bulbs or Roots (Perennial). Planted in fall. Bloom for many
years.
T - Tender Perennials. Will not stand frost. Planted in May. Dug
in October {for cool indoor storage and replanted the following
May).
Most biennial and perennial flowers bloom for about one month.
Bluebells, Campion, Dahlias, English Daisies, Geraniums, Pansies,
Roses and most annual flowers bloom for two or three months.
Planting plan will be revised slightly from time to time to improve
balance of plant height and color.
1965 Planting Plan
Note: 1999
The OMC School Mary Garden continues to be maintained 34 years
after its original planting, and an attractive new statue of
Our Lady of Grace and trellis have been donated by the Class
of 1998:
