FLOWERS OF OUR LADY & MARY GARDENS



                      SLIDE LECTURE #1

                            1962



NARRATION TEXT

1. Madonna of Montserrat

To tell the story of the medieval Flowers of Our Lady and Mary
Gardens we must speak first of the Virgin herself and of her
representations in religious art.

Here we see the Virgin enthroned in her majesty with the Divine
Child enthroned in turn on her knees - a figure adopted by the
Church to proclaim visually the truth that Mary was the very
Mother of God, after this truth was defined as dogma in the year
431.

Because all Mary's excellences and privileges have their origin
and culmination in the great truth of her divine motherhood, this
image of her was the one used almost exclusively in the early,
profoundly contemplative X to XII Century Romanesque period of
medieval art.

This particular figure is a miniature copy, made available by the
Jubilee loon Guild, of the famous XII Century pilgrimage Madonna
of Montserrat, Spain.


2. Tympannum, Chartres Cathedral

As medieval piety developed, the life, death and resurrection
of Christ were meditated upon as events in the life of Mary, his
Mother - as seen through her eyes.  Because these events were all
aspects of the supernatural mystery of Mary's divine motherhood
they were referred  to as her "mysteries".

In art the events of Mary's life were depicted around a central
image representing her as the enthroned Mother of God as they are
here in this tympanum of the renowned XII Century Gothic Cathedral
of Our Lady at Chartres, France.

On the bottom level can be seen  on the left, the  Annunciation
and the Visitation; in the center, the Nativity; and on the right,
the Annunciation to the Shepherds.

On the second level is the Presentation in the Temple.

The three arch rims, starting with the inner one, depict adoring
angels, the liberal arts, and the signs of the zodiac - showing
how angels and men and the heavens all proclaim the praises of the
Divine Savior and hls Holy Mother.


3. Book of Hours - Virgin with Immaculate Conception Symbols

In their veneration of Mary as the worthy Mother of God the
faithful also invoked her in litanies of her titles - drawn from
doctrine and from Old Testament figures applied to her by the
Church Fathers.

In art she was accordingly depicted surrounded by her chief
biblical emblems, as in this page from a XVI Century French Book
of Hours.

At the top God pronounces the words from the Cantice of Canticles:
"Thou art all fair my love, and there is no spot in thee."
Surrounding the Blessed Virgin - portrayed here as the Immaculate
Conception, as a young maiden prior to the Incarnation - are her
emblems and the biblical phrases, in medieval Latin, which they
depict:

Bright as the sun  . . . fair as the moon . . . gate of heaven . .
. star of the sea . . a lily among thorns . . . exalted cedar . .
. rose plant . . . tower of David . . . fair olive tree .  . well
of living waters . . . blossoming rod of Jesse . . . spotless
mirror . . . fountain of gardens . . . garden enclosed,  and city
of  God.


4. Book of Hours - Annunciation with Flower Symbols

The devout also turned to nature for symbols of Our Lady's
attributes - especially in northern Europe, under the influence of
the gentle mysticism of Blessed Henry Suso.

Of all God's creatures, flowers seemed especially suited to recall
Mary's immaculate purity, the beauty of her holiness and the
splendor of her heavenly glory.  From their various forms  and
colors,  flowers were also seen to recall aspects of Mary'ss life
and mysteriess.

In religious painting Our Lady was depicted together with
life-like representations of symbolical flowers, copied from
contemporary gardens - as in this illustration of the Annunciation
frcm a XVI  Century French Book of Hours.

Among the flowers shown here are: the white lily, emblem of her
purity and holiness . . . the red rose, emblem of her burning love
of God . . . the myrtle, emblem of her virginity . . . the violet,
emblem of her humility . . . the columbine, emblem of the Holy
Spirit . .  and the strawberry, emblem of the divine fruit of her
womb, Jesus.

Gardens composed of these and similar flowers were known as
"paradises" and paintings depicting the Virgin and Child in such
gardens were called "Mary Gardens".


5. "Our Lady in Her Garden" - St. Josepoh's Church, Woods Hole

Pre-reformation English monastery gardens planted with flowers
symbolical of Mary also were known as St. Mary's Gardens, or, for
short, Mary Gardens.

The book, Green Enchantment, by Rosetta Clarkson, tell us, for
example that in the spring  of 1530 St. Mary's Garden at Melrose
Abbeys Scotland, included: "as  many white flowers as possible,
for purity and holiness . . . lilies .  . white and red roses . .
. costmary . . . spearmint . . . snowdrops . . . marygolds . . .
daisies . . . violets    cross-shaped flowers and many "Mary
plants".

In such a garden Mary's praises could be proclaimed and meditated
upon through her flower symbols grown in all the freshness of
their living purity and beauty - and the care of these flowers
could be undertaken as a prayerful work offered to Mary and her
Divine Soa for spiritual intentions.

From such monastery gardens, especially those on pilgrimage
routes, the names and symbolism of the Mary-flowers spread out
into the surrounding countrysides, where they were adopted into
local usage. In his book, The Englishman's Flora, Geoffrey Grigson
lists the exact counties of England in which several hundred
Mary-names of flowers were once current.

This is the Garden of Our Lady at St. Joseph's Church, Woods.Hole,
on Cape Cod, Massachusetts - believed to be the first public Mary
Garden in the United States.  It was established in the early
1930's  by a summer resident of Woods Holes, Frances Crane Lillie,
who learned on the old Mary-flower tradition during visits to
present-day English monastery gardens.


6. Page from Flowers of Our Lady Research Documentation

Documented historical research has listed some 500 plant
namings symbolical of Mary, as found in general, dialect,
horticultural and folk-lore dictionaries.

This is the first of eight pages listing such namings, published
by Queen of the Missions Magazine in Chicago in February of 1955
from research compiled by Mary's Gardens of Philadelphia - a
spare-time work founded in 1951 by Catholic laymen to further
devotion to Mary, and the restoration of the prayerful, religious
sense of gardening.

The first column shows the old religious flower names; the second
the corresponding present-day common names; the third the
technical Latin names used by botanical scientists the world over;
and  the fourth the research references for the names, referring
to the bibliography at the end of this list.

Some of these names are still in general use today, such as:
Madonna Lily; Marigold (a shortening of Mary's Gold  or
Marygold); Lady Slipper; Lady's Mantle; Lady's Bedstraw; Lady's
Eardrops; Lady's Tresses; and, Virgin's Bower.

According to the authority of the Oxford English Dictionary, the
word "Lady" appearing in the names of plants is a shortening of
'Our Lady' and refers to the Virgin Mary.


7. Wild Rose

The rose, queen of flowers, is an ancient and univerial symbol
of Mary and of her spiritual beauty and fragrance, pleasing to
God.

Pope Plus XII has  said, "The  liturgical development (of the
symbol of the rose in the cult of Mary has nothing  which  should
astonish us, for mnn has instinctively chosen the most beautiful
of flowers to offer to the most beautiful of creatures. . . . The
Virgin herself was then compared to a rose . . .  and now
Christians invoke her twice in the litany of Loreto under the
title of the queen of flowers:  'Mystical Rose,' and 'Queen of the
Most Holy Rosary.' . . . While  cultivating  the rose one is
naturally borne to honor the Creator and to elevate one's soul
toward her who bears the beautiful title of Mystical Rose, the
honor and joy of the human family."

This is a wild rose typical of those known to the  Christians of
the Middle Ages and called by them, Mary's Rose.  It is also the
rose adopted as the model for the central rose windows of  the
medieval cathedrals.


8. Madonna Lily

The white lily, and particularly the Madonna Lily, with its
striking clarity of form and immaculate, translucent whiteness,
has long been regarded as the special symbol of the spotless
puritity of Our Lady. This lily was also known as Mary's Lily.


9. Quaking Grass - Our Lady's Tresses

Other flowers suggested to the faithful Mary's outward beauty,
which so perfectly reflected the inner beauty of her holiness.

This is Quaking  Grass,  named  Our  Lady's Tresses from the
braid-like form of its seed-heads.


10. Fuchsia - Our Lady's Eardrops

Still other flowers suggested Our Lady's clothing and her
adornment. The pendant blooms of Fuchsia were seen as Our Lady's
Eardrops - fitting adornment for the ears which received the
Angel's  message  of the Annunciation.


11. Holy Card - Our Lady's Eardrops

This XXth Century English holy card, depicting two doves
adorning Mary's ears with her Eardrops, shows how religious art
and devotion have continued to use Our Lady's flower symbols even
down to the present day.


12. Violet - Our Lady's Humility or Modesty

The violet, from the modest or humble manner in which its
blooms peek out from under its leaves was adopted as the emblem of
Our Lady's humility, and was also known as "Our Lady's Modesty"..

St. Bernard spoke of Our Lady as "the violet of humility, the lily
of chastity and the rose of charity.

A number of other flowers were associated with or named for the
different virtues, and as such were especially associatbed with
Our Lady, the model of all virtues.


13. Lily-of-the-Valley

The 'Lily of the Valleys", a title applied by the Church
Fathers  to Mary from the Canticle of Canticles, denoted both her
purity and her humility. This name has been most fittingly applied
to the low,  white- flowered plant commonly known as
Lily-of-the-Valley today,  which  so well symbolizes these
virtues.


14. Columbine - Flames of the Holy Spirit

From its petals resembling doves, the columbine has been
adopted  as an emblem of the Holy Spirit.  The red columbine has
been used especially for this purpose since its red spurs resemble
also the tongues of flame with which the Holy Ghost descended upon
the apostles at Pentecost.

In paintings of the Madonna and in Mary Gardens the columbine
recalls that Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit, of whom she is
also the dwelling place or temple, according to the words of the
angel: "And the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee."


15. Strawberry - Fruitful Virgin

Various fruits, such as the apple and the pear, have been used
in art to denote the divine fruitfulness of Mary's womb.  In Mary
Gardens and in portrayals of Mary Gardens the strawberry has been
widely used for this purpose since its low form is suitably
proportioned to other low-growing symbolical plants such as the
violet and the lily-of-the- Valley.

In flower and in fruit at the same time, the strawberry also
represents Mary's perpetual virginity.


16. Gland Bell Flower - Our Lady's Bells

Church bells were especially associated with Our Lady from
their use to ring out the Angelus thrice daily, and were often
given names and inscriptions honoring her role in the Incarnation.
Consequently, several bell-shaped flowers, such as the Gland Bell
Flower shown here were known as Mary's Bells or Our Lady's Bells.


17. Lady Slipper

Some fifteen different flowers, of which the best known is
perhaps the Ladyslipper Orchid shown here were at one time called
Our Lady's Slippers. Legends tell us that these flowers sprang up
where Our Lady trod on the way to visit Elizabeth, showing, the
words of the Canticle  of  Canticles applied to her, that "all her
steps were most beauteous".

Such legends, while not historical documentations, afford
historical insight into the richness of the religious associations
underlying the flower symbols of Our Lady.


18. Thistle-Down - Mary's Visit to Elizabeth

The graceful movement of the thistle-down, bearing its seed
on the wind, was a reminder of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, carrying
the Christ Child in her womb.


19. Sea Thrift - Our Lady's Pincushion

Our Lady's Pincushion or sea pink was one of many plants
which brought to mind Our Lady's sewing work in preparation for
the birth of the Divine Child.


20. Holy Card - Our Lady's Pincushion

Here is another XX Century English holy card, this one based
on Our Lady's Pincushion, just shown, which is conmonly known as
Thrift in  England. Mary sewing for the Christ Child is the model
for all mothers sewing for their families; for all religious and
members of church altar societies sewing priestly vestments and
altar linens,  and for all who sew for Christ's poor.


21. Harebell - Our Lady's Thimble

The beauty and purity of Our Lady's Thimble, Harebell,
bespeak the sublime perfection and elevation of Mary's thoughts as
she sewed for the infant Saviors, to be born of her womb.


22. Yellow Bedstraw - Our Lady's Bedstraw

According to an old legend Our Lady's Bedstraw, a native
Palestine Plant, was the natural bedding on which Mary laid the
Holy Child in the manger at Bethlehem, bursting into its golden
flowers when the Divine Child was laid on it.


23. Dead Nettle - Madonna's Milk

From the white markings on its leaves Dead Nettle was named
Madonna's Milk, according to a legend that these marks first
appeared on this and other plants, such as Our Lady's Thistle or
Milk Thistle, after drops of the Virgin Mother's immaculate milk
fell on them while she nursed the Infant Jesus.

This symbolism turns our thoughts to the many statues and
paintings  of Mary as the 'Nursing Madonna", a representation
adopted to show her motherly tenderness and also to show that
while Jesus was true  God, the Divine Word Incarnates, He was also
true man, born of Mary's womb and suckled at her breast.


24. Snow Drop - Candlemas Bells

The Snow Drop was known in England as Candlemas Bells or
Purification Flower from its early bloom the time of Candlemas or
the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, February
2nd - now designated the Feast of the Presentation of the Child
Jesus in the Temple.

It is one of several flowers named from the liturgical seasons
when they were in bloom, and thus available for church altar
decoration at those times.

In our modern era of greenhouses and high-speed  refrigerated
transportation we have become accustomed to seeing flowers such as
roses, lilies, carnationss gladioli and chysanthemums used over
and over again as altar decorations at all seasons of the year.
In a former day the only flowers available for a given feast were
those naturally in bloom at the time - which thus came to bearf
the  name of the feast.


25. Giant Mullein - Our Lady's Candle

From its resemblance to the large candles kept lighted on Our
Lady's altar in many English churches Giant Mullein was named Our
Lady's Candle.


26. Iris - Mary's Sword of Sorrow

Blue Flag Iris, also called Sword Lily, from its sword-like
foliages, was regarded as a symbol of Our Lady's Sorrows according
to Simeon's words to Mary during the Presentation of Jesus in the
temple:  "And  a sword shall pierce thy soul, that the thoughts of
many hearts may  be revealed".

Iris, the Royal Lily, was also used as an emblem of Our Lady's
queenship.


27. Fuller's Teasel - Our Lady's Little Brushes

The spiked heads of Fuller's Teasel were used for centuries to
raise the nap on wool.  To the faithful they were known in some
regions as Our Lady's Little Brushos, calling to mind Mary's
motherly care for the Infant Savior.

It has been said that after Simeon confirmed for Mary the Old
Testament prophecies of the Suffering Redeemers she sorrowed as
she brushed the child Jesus' hair - knowing it would one day be
matted with his Precious Blood.


28. Chrysanthemum - Star of Bethlehem

The Chrysanthemum is associated with the Epiphany, the
manifestation  of the Savior to the Gentiless,  by a legend which
tells us it was in bloom before the manger in Bothlehem.  Prom the
resemblance of the golden yellow star-like flowers of this plant
to the star in the sky above, the Wise Men knew they had reached
their journey's goal.  Picking the flowers, they entered in and
placed them in the outstretched hand of the Infant King enthroned
on His motherls knees.


29. Painting - Rest During the Flight, by David

There are a number of legends associated with the rests taken
by  the Holy Family during the Flight Into Egypt, as depicted here
in David's "Rest During the Flight".

Several flowers suoh as Sweet Williams were named Our Lady's Tuft,
Cushion or Resting Place because they formed a place for Our Lady
to sit. Flowering Clematis or Wisteria vines were named Virgin's
Bower because they spread over her head to shield her from the hot
sun.  Rosemary acquired its fragrance when Mary placed Jesus'
garment on it to dry after a rain storm.  And the Cherry Tree was
said to have lowered its  branches to  assist St. Joseph in
picking fruit for Mary's and Jesus' refreshment.


30. Forget-me-nots - Eyes of Mary

Forget-me-nots were called Eyes of Mary.

In a book of flower legends we read that the Boy Jesus, looking
into Mary's Eyes one day in front of their Nazareth home said:
"Mother, your eyes are so beautiful, everyone looks at them in
wonder.  What a pity those who will be born in future generations
will not be able to behold them.  Because in your eyes one can see
my paradise, and whoever looks into them cannot help but be drawn
toward it."

Thereupon he touched her eyelids and passed his hands over the
ground as though sowing seeds.  Immediately there sprang up
forget-me-nots: hundreds of tiny blue eyes with golden centers, as
reminders  of Our Lady's pure eyes for all peoples until the end
of the world.


31. Anemones - "Flowers of the Field"

Authorities tell us the flowers growing in the fields and
along the roadways where Jesus taught, and to which he in all
probability referred in His Parables, were Poppy-Flowered
Anemones.

From this historical association, these flowers are fittingly used
in the Mary Garden to remind us of Jesus' teaching mission - first
manifested to Mary and Joseph when they found him sitting with the
teachers in the temple.


32. Book of Hours - Arrest of Christ, with Flower Stmbols

In paintings of the Nativity daisies and similar flowers were
shown  in the straw of the manger or in the ground before it to
denote the innocence of the Christ Child.  Here, in this XVI
Century Flemish portrayal of the Arrest of Christ the same flowers
are used with startling forcefulness to show Christ's purity and
innocence in contrast to the evil of his apprehenders. Other plant
symbols applied primarily to Jesus are Wheat and Grapes, emblems
of the Last Supper and the Mass, and the Vine, depicting his
teaching of the Mystical Body: "I am the vine and you are the
branches".

Most of Our Lady's flowers would be equally appropriate as symbols
of Christ, whose life she shared and whose virtues she reflected.
It would seem, however, that flowers have been used more generally
as symbols of Our Lady because we have Our Lord himself always
with us in the Holy Eucharists in his priests and in our neighbor.


33. Virginian Stock - Virgin's Stock or Cross

In religious art, plant and flower symbols of the Cross, the
Crown  of Thorns, the Lash and other instruments of Christ's
Passion were also regarded as symbols of Mary's sorrows.

This cross-shaped flower is Virginian Stocks formerly  known  as
Virgin's Stock, or Cross.


34. Virginia Spiderwort - Our Lady's Tears

Our Lady's sorrows at the foot of the Cross were also called
to mind by a number of flowers known as Our Lady's Tears.
Virginia Spiderwort, shown here, was called Our Lady's Tears
because of the tear-like fluid emitted from the spent blooms
hanging down beneath its blossom "eyes".

Our Lady's Tears recall the teaching of the Church that Our Lady
was our Co-roedemptrix whose tears were joined with the Blood of
Christ, our Redeemer, in the accomplishment of the work of our
redemption.


35. White Day Lily (Hosta) - Assumption Lily

While the Easter Lily has been adopted to proclaim the joys of
Jesus' Resurrection, the White Day Lily has been called Assumption
Lily from its bloom during the season of the Feast of Our Lady's
Assumptions, August 15.


36. Scottish Marigold - Mary's Gold

The traditional Marigold or Marygold of England and northern
Europe, shown here, is the flower known today In the United
States as Scottish or pot marigolfd.  Its golden-yellow petals
spreading out from its center like rays of the sun evidently
suggested the glorious splendor of Mary, the "Woman Clothed in the
Sun", the "Queen in Gilded Clothing", after her Assumption and
Coronation as Heaven's queens.  It also  suggests the interior
splendor divinely wrought in Mary, the "House of Gold", on earth
to prepare her as the Chosen Mother of the Onlybegotten.  '

In church architecture round stained glass windows with ray-like
divisions were sometimes termed marigold windows to distinguish
them from rose windows with rounded rose-petal-like divisions.
The  plants commonly known as marigolds in American today are of
the genus, Tagetes, native to Mexico and Central America and
adopted into the pre-existing European marigold tradition after
their discovery by Spanish missionaries to the New World.


37 Pansy - Trinity Flower, Our Lady's Delight

The pansy, because of its three colors in its wild form:
yellows blue and whitep was adopted as a symbol of the Holy
Trinity and was named Trinity Flower.  It was also named our
Lady's Delights suggesting Our Lady's beholding of it.

This double symbolism reminds us that the mystery of the Holy
Trinity was first revealed to Mary, at the Annunciation, and that
now she beholds and shares in the life of the three divine persons
in the beautific vision of heaven.


38. Lady's Mantle

But while sharing in the life of the Trinity, Mary also
serves as our divinely appointed heavenly mother and protector in
the continuing work of the redemption - a role, symbolized in art
by her mantle spread out by her over multitudes of the faithful,
and in the Mary Garden by the mantle-like leaves of the plant
still commonly known today as Lady's Mantle.

Several sweet-smelling plants such as lemon balm and bebalm, both
called Sweet Mary, suggest Mary's motherly sweetness.


39. Bleeding Heart - Heart of Mary

Bleeding Heart, known in France as Mary's Heart, and in
Germany as Our Lady's Heart, resembles the  emblem  of Mary's
Sorrowful Heart, a heart pierced with a sword, used in art to
recall Simeon's prophesy to Mary, "And a sword shall pierce thy
soul".

Also it lifts our thoughts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our
heavenly mediatrix, who mercifully intercedes on our behalf with
the Sacred Heart of Jesus - purifying and embellishing our prayers
and reparations so they will be more readily received by him.


40. Painting - Madonna and Child in a Rose Garden, Stephan Lochner

Finally., an entire garden of roses was used to symbolize the
fullness of Our Lady's virtues and glories, as in this painting of
the Madonna and Child in a Rose Garden by Stephan Lochners, XV
Century, German.

For use everywhere, as well as in the garden, the symbolism of the
rose and the garden of roses has been embodied in the string of
rosary beads, which serves as an aid for meditating on fifteen of
Our Lady's mysteries. But always, as Pope Plus XII has said, "the
rosary represents primarily a garden of roses offered to Mary, an
adornment of her image, a symbol of her graces".


41. Sculpture - Seat of Wisdom

In the Mary Garden a statue of Our Lady serves as a center
from which radiates out, as it were, the splendor of her
attributes shining forth in the surrounding flowers.  It is also a
focal point uniting them all and drawing back our thoughts to
simple contemplation of the truth of Mary - giving us a sense of
her presence for prayer.

This outdoor statue of Mary, Seat of Wisdom, especially designed
for Mary Garden use by Ade Bethune, represents Mary enthroned in
majesty with Christ enthroned on her knees, as in the early
medieval figures.  Christ holds the book to show he is the Eternal
Word of God, the Divine Wisdom Incarnates and that Mary, his
mother, is therefore the Holy Mother of  God.

The stars and clouds in the base show that Mary is gloriously
assumed  into heaven and the curved line of the serpent at her
feet shows she is the Woman of prophecy whose Seed was to triumph
over evil.  Her out-turned hands are hands which both receive and
give.  They  receive our prayers and offerings to Jesus, and in
turn distribute to us the bountiful treasures of His mercy and
grace.


42. Sculpture - St.Joseph, Garden Workman

The patron of those who garden for Mary is Saint Joseph, who
is the example and inspiration for every aspect of their work,
both prayerful and practical.

As most chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin and foster father of
the Divine Child he is the example of how our work may lovingly be
undertaken for Mary and Jesus.  As patron of all workman, he is
the example for the faithful stewardship we are to exercise for
God's creatures, the plants and flowers of our Mary Gardens.

This outdoor statue of Saint Joseph, Garden Workmang, also
designed by Ade Bethune, brings Saint Joseph closer to those who
work in Mary Gardens, and assists us in meditating on his example.

Saint Joseph is identified by his traditional emblem, the
flowering staff, held in his left hand; and for Mary Gardeners,
and all gardeners,  he  is represented as kneeling at garden work
and prayer with a small cultivating tool in his right hand.


43. Pool Mary Garden with Hummel Madonna and Child Wayside Shrine

For parents and teachers flowers are invaluable aids for
nurturing in children the love of God and his creatures.  From the
beauty of flowers children learn the beauty of God and acquire a
sense for the beauty  of virtue and holiness.  Prom arranging
flowers in bouquets and gardens they learn, by analogy, how to
compose beautiful lives.  From using  flowers  as reminders of
Mary they learn to turn to her as the model and inspiration for
everything beautiful and pure.

They learn the special joy a bouquet of Our Lady's Flowers can
bring their parents, their teachers and those who are sick.  And
from happy hours in a garden of delights they acquire a foretaste
of the happiness of heaven.


44. Fallen Columbine Petals - Our Lady's Shoes

"Looks Daddy . . . Our Lady's Shoesi"

Such joys are repeated over and over as a small child learns to
know Our Lady's Flowers in a family Mary Garden.


45. Flower Offering at Hummel Madonna and Child Wayside Shrine

A backyard shrine enables children to make offerings of
flowers to Mary and Jesus with spiritual intentions.  It also
reminds them to pray when outdoors and to offer their garden
labors for a special intention,  or in thanksgiving.


46. Job's Tears - Our Lady's Tears (Rosary Beads)

From the smooth, round seeds of Our Lady's Tears, or Job's
Tears, children can make strings of rosary beads which is their
own in a very special way and which, away from the garden, brings
to mind all the Flowers of Our Lady midst which "Our Lady's Rosary
Beads" were grown.


47. Child with Indoor Seed Starting Flat

From caring for Our Lady's Flowers children learn their
responsibility of stewardship for God's creaturess, and the joy of
tending his artistry.

This little girl is carrying some seedlings of Our Lady's Flowers
started from seed indoors on a sunny windowsill a month earlier,
and is now going to plant them in her Mary Garden.

Started indoors, seeds can conveniently be watched and cared for
each day, free from outdoor dangers such as cold, flooding,
droughts, birds and animals. In this way they can also be started
four to six weeks  earlier than outdoor spring sowing times to
give earlier blooms in the Mary Garden.


48. Indoor Seed Starting Flat with Flowers of Our Lady Seedlings

This windowsill seed box contains six seedlings each, of six
easily grown Flowers of Our Lady - enough for a child's beginning
Mary Garden. From left to right are rows of: Mary's Bud, Our
Lady's  Earrings, Our Lady's Pincushion, Mary's Gold,  Virgin
Flower and St. Joseph's Staff.


49. Plants from Flat 10 Weeks Later in Child's Mary Garden

Here, ten weeks later, is the Mary Garden grown from the
exact  same thirty-six seedlings just shown in the preceding
slides

Any sunny windowsill will do for starting a box or tin of
seedlings, and any little patch of ground will do for a Mary
Garden.


50. Sculpture of St. Dorothy, Patroness of Flowers - Woods Hole
    Mary Garden

After accustoming ourselves to using flower symbols we find
that no painting or statue can equal them in suggesting the beauty
and splendor, or the purity and sweetness of the Mother of God.

Even from a purely artistic point of view, Bernard Berensen, late
dean of authorities on Italian Renaissance painting, wrote near
the end of his lifeis work: "As I walk in the garden, I look at
the flowers and shrubs and trees and discover in them an
exquisiteness of contour,  a vitality of edge or a vigor of
spring, as well as an infinite variety of colors, that no artifact
I have ever seen can rival".

Or, in the inspired word of the Gospel: "Consider the lilies.  Not
even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these".


                            (THE END)