MARY GARDENS SLIDE LECTURE #3
NARRATION TEXT
THE 50 SLIDES
1. Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral
2. Tympannum, Chartres Cathedral
3. Book of Hours - Virgin with Immaculate Conception Symbols
4. Book of Hours - Annunciation with Flower Symbols
5. Medieval "Mary Garden" Painting
6. Medieval Cloister Gardens. The Cloisters, New York City
7. "The Mary Calender" - Flowers of the English Countryside
8. Garden of Our Lady. St.Joseph's Church, Woods Hole, MA
9. Mary's Gardens of Philadelphia
10. Rose - Mary's Rose
11. Madonna Lily - Annunciation Lily
12. Ladies' Tresses - Our Lady's Tresses
13. Holy Card - Our Lady's Eardrops
14. Violet - Our Lady's Humility, or Modesty
15. Lily-of-the-Valley - Lily-of-the-Valley
16. Columbine - Flames of the Holy Spirit
17. Strawberry - Fruitful Virgin
18. Gland Bell Flower - Mary's Bells
19. Ladyslipper - Our Lady's Slipper
20. Holy Card - Our Lady's Thimble
21. Sea Thrift - Our Lady's Pincushion
22. Holy Card - Our Lady's Pincushion
23. Yellow Bedstraw - Our Lady's Bedstraw
24. Dead Nettle - Madonna's Milk
25. Chrysanthemum - Star of Bethlehem
26. Snow Drop - Candlemas Bells
27. Iris - Mary's Sword of Sorrow
28. Fuller's Teasel - Our Lady's Little Brushes
29. Veronica - Our Lady's Resting Place
30. Forget-me-nots - Eyes of Mary
31. Anemones - "Flowers of the Field"
32. Book of Hours - Arrest of Christ, with Flowers of Innocence
33. Passion Flower - Passion Flower
34. Virginia Spiderwort - Our Lady's Tears
35. White Day Lily (Hosta) - Assumption Lily
36. Scottish Marigold - Mary's Gold
37. Pansy - Trinity Flower, Our Lady's Delight
38. Giant Mullein - Our Lady's Candle
39. Ladies' Mantle -Our Lady's Mantle
40. Bleeding Heart - Heart of Mary
41. Home Mary Gardens
42. Plant Nursery Mary Gardens
43. Small Parish Mary Gardens
44. Larger Parish Mary Gardens
45. Monastery Mary Garden
46. Shrine Mary Garden
47. Indoor Dish Mary Gardens
48. Windowsill and Classroom Mary Gardens
49. Greenhouse Mary Gardens
50. Woods Hole Mary Garden
1. Rose Window, Chartres Cathedral
Prominent among medieval flower symbols of the Blessed Virgin Mary
were the Rose Windows of the gothic cathedrals - great gardens of
glass in which a central figure of the Virgin and Child enthroned
in majesty was surrounded with symbols of devotion and truth.
In the medieval age of faith, before the introduction of printing,
catechisms or religious illustrations, these, together with the
sculptured programs of the cathedrals were a primary means for the
instruction of the largely illiterate faithful.
Here, in the famous XII century rose window of the north trancept
of Chartres Cathedral the surrounding symbols include
fleurs-de-lis of the Annunciation, doves of the Holy Spirit,
adoring angels, the twelve kings of the Line of David (celebrated
in Christian geneology and art as the "Tree of Jesse") and the
last twelve prophets - all in a spiral geometric arrangement
similar to the underlying growth pattern found in roses,
sunflowers and daisies.
The rose window, as a whole, was seen to represent the truth of
the Incarnation as expressed by Dante: "Behold the rose wherein
the Divine Word was made incarnate" - a representation of
Isaiah's prophecy of the Virgin Birth of the Messiah as a
miraculously blossoming rod of Jesse, the origin in revelation of
all flower symbolism of the Blessed Virgin: "And there shall come
forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up
out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him."
2. Tympanum, Chartres Cathedral
In sculpture, central images of the enthroned Mother of God were
similarly surrounded with other symbols of truth and devotion, as
they are shown here on the right tympannum of the west facade of
Chartres Cathedral.
Supplementing the symbols of Old Testament prophecy of the rose
window, this tympanum includes representations of the New
Testament story of the Incarnation (the Joyful Mysteries of the
Virgin).
Thus, 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 - Immaculate Conception with Flower Symbols
With the introduction of printing, books of hours illustrated with
miniature paintings were used for daily meditations.
As in the rose windows and tympana of the gothic cathedrals,
images of the Blessed Virgin and Child, or of the Blessed Virgin
alone prior to the Nativity, were surrounded with symbols
recalling her life, mysteries, virtues and divinely endowed
prerogatives.
This XVI century French book of hours illustration represents Mary
as the Immaculate Virgin surrounded with biblical symbols which
the Church Fathers discerned to be prophetic symbols of her
immaculate conception.
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 Symbola
As reflection and meditation on the Blessed Virgin matured in the
lives of the faithful, further symbols of her discerned virtues
and attributes were found in nature itself.
In keeping with the truth that all things, spiritual and material,
were created through the Eternal Word of God, through whom all
things were made, it was believed that such discovered nature
symbols were providentially created correspondences, or
"signatures", of spiritual qualities.
Accordingly, illustrations such as this one of the Annunciation,
from another French XVI century book of hours, employed realistic
paintings of discerned flower symbols of Our Lady to signify her
attributes and virtues for reflection and meditation:
Among the flowers shown here are: the white lily, emblem of her
purity and holiness . . . the red rose, emblem of the Incarnation
and of her burning love of God . . . the myrtle, emblem of her
virginity . . . the violet, emblem of her humility . . . the
columbine, emblem of her overshadowing, indwelling and espousal by
the Holy Spirit . . and the strawberry, emblem of her fruitful
virginity.
The representation for meditation of Mary's virtues and endowed
prerogatives by their signature flowers imparts to the faithful an
affective and illuminative sense of their infused supernatural
reality, and of their sowing, planting, or engrafting in the heart
and soul - per the Parable of the Sower - to be nurtured through
spiritual acts in grace, that they may grow to maturity and
fruition like flowers in a garden.
5. Medieval Mary Garden Painting
As a further development of religious nature symbolism in art, the
Blessed Virgin was represented in "Mary Gardens" surrounded by
some of her symbolical flowers.
This renowned Mary Garden illustration is by an unknown artist of
the 15th century at the Art Gallery, in Frankfort.
Mary is seated in an enclosed garden surrounded by a castellated
wall. Her crown is of leafy sprigs. Nearby the child, Jesus, is
being taught to play a musical instrument.
Behind Our Lady, irises, hollyhocks, marigolds and other flowers
of Our Lady are growing in a raised bed. In the foreground are
daisies, lilies-of-the-valley, violets, cowslips, strawberries and
other symbolical flowers. A rose tree, cherries and apples are
also featured.
(Illustration courtesy the Massachusetts Horticultural Society)
While these flowers, like those in the books of hours, have all
been found by researchers to have been known by names indicative
their Marian religious symbolism, there are so many in this
painting, and they are so small, that it is more of a tribute to
Our Lady, and thus a historical documentation, than a support for
meditation comparable to the books of hours with their larger
depictions of individual flowers.
The fullest spiritual impact of the flower symbols of the Blessed
Virgin is experienced through their actual beholding and
collection in nature and by their cultivation in actual gardens
for devotion, meditation and prayer.
This was our experience in undertaking the work of Mary's Gardens
of Philadelphia, in which while we were highly motivated upon
learning of the Flowers of Our Lady and seeing their illustrations
and photographs, we were utterly in awe when we we first saw the
actual symbolical flowers themselves in the beauty, purity and
clarity of their growth.
We found also that in Mary Gardens the meditative quality of even
a large number of the Flowers of Our Lady could be maintained -
through the overall design of the garden, the proportions of the
beds and the size and spacing of the flower clumps - since one
reflects on the flower varieties sequentially as one walks through
the garden, as one does in praying the mysteries of the Rosary.
6. Medieval Cloister Garden
Due to the almost total lack of records of flowers, other than
roses and lilies, grown in medieval monastery gardens, the extent
to which such gardens actully included or were planned around the
Flowers of Our Lady is matter of conjecture.
We do know, however, that the preserved accounting records for
Norwich Priory in England list plant purchases for a
pre-Reformation "S. Mary's Garden". And in her book, "Green
Enchantment", Rosetta Clarkson envisages the plantings of such a
Mary Garden at Melrose Abbey in Scotland as distinct from the
sacristan's garden, with "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'."
This is the garden of the Bonnefont Cloister at The Cloisters of
the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Ft. Tryon Park in New York City.
originally planted with over 100 flowers cultivated, or collected
from the wild, in medieval Europe - most of them known and named
in one area or another in the popular religious traditions of the
countrysides as Flowers of Our Lady. Walking through this garden
in the 1950's beholding the symbolic flowers in the setting of the
actual cloister, brought from Europe, assisted us in experiencing
what a medieval Mary Garden was like.
The names and symbolism of the Mary-flowers were evidently spread
out from such monastery gardens, especially those on pilgrimage
routes, 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 the U.K. in which several
hundred Mary-names of flowers were once current.
7. The Mary Calendar
Since there are so few actual lists of the plants grown in
medieval monastery gardens, we know of the old religious plant
names and symbolism almost entirely through the recording
centuries later by botanists and folklorists of those still found
in the oral traditions of the surrounding countrysides.
So far we have found records of some thousand such symbolically
named plants in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain and Latin
America - some common to a number of these countries; others
unique to one only.
This is the title page of "The Mary Calendar" by Judith Smith
listing, by the sequence of their blooms through the year, some
hundred such flowers from the English countrysides, together with
old legends and lore associated with their names.
8. Our Lady in Her Garden, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
From Flowers of Our Lady cultivated for their symbolism in
present-day English monastery gardens, and from "The Mary
Calendar", Frances Crane Lillie selected some 40 for planting in
1932 in a "Garden of Our Lady" at St. Joseph's Church in Woods
Hole, Massachusetts.
This is a 1937 photo of the garden taken by landscape architect,
Dorothea K. Harrison, after five years of work on the garden
design and planting with Mrs. Lillie.
In this garden Mary's praises are proclaimed and meditated upon
through her symbolical flowers grown in all the freshness of their
living purity and beauty - surrounding her image in the tradition
of the multiple imagery of the medieval rose windows, tympanna,
books of hours and Mary Garden paintings. Their care is
undertaken as a prayerful work offered to Mary and her Divine Son
for spiritual intentions.
9 Mary's Gardens of Philadelphia
Inspired by the Woods Hole Garden of Our Lady, Mary's Gardens was
founded in Philadelphia in 1951, with the blessing of Mrs. Lillie,
for the purpose of further researching the Flowers of Our Lady and
spreading the custom of planting them in Mary Gardens as a
prayerful, religious work in the modern world.
In medieval times the popular religious traditions of the Flowers
of Our Lady were circulated through the countrysides by itinerate
preachers, mendicant friars, wandering minstrels, roving players,
pilgrims, merchants, missionaries and other travelers.
The old religious names were then recorded in writing by research
botanists and folklorists, from the various countries and regions
- serving to preserve them and bring them down to the present day.
In our modern Information Age the tradition of the flowers,
drawing on those from all the countries, is being circulated
again: through the print media, and now electronically throughout
the entire Global Village via the Internet World Wide Web.
Learned of through the Net, the Flowers of Our Lady are cultivated
in home Mary Gardens, from which individuals - when they have
become experienced with their care and been enriched by reflection
and meditation on their symbolism - then go forth to plant them at
parishes, schools, institutions, burial plots, shrines, and other
locations.
In medieval times the generic tradition of the Flowers of Our Lady
was adapted by circulating itinerate preachers, mendicant friars,
etc. to the plants growing in the wild in each given area. Now,
from the global lists available on the Internet, selections of
flowers of desired symbolism are procured from retail and mail
order commercial seed and plant sources and planted in Mary
Gardens.
10. Mary's Rose
Of the flowers of the Mary Garden the rose, queen of flowers, is
an ancient and universal symbol of the Incarnation, of Mary, of
her love of God, and of her spiritual beauty and fragrance,
pleasing to God.
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.
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 man 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."
Finally., an entire garden of roses was used to symbolize the
fullness of Our Lady's virtues and glories, and as Pope Pius XII
has said, further, "The rosary represents primarily a garden of
roses offered to Mary, an adornment of her image, a symbol of her
graces".
For prayer 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.
11. 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
purity of Our Lady.
In the 8th century St. Bede saw the translucent white petals to be
a likeness of her pure body as she was assumed into heaven, and
its golden anthers, of the glorious resplendance of her soul.
In Renaissance art it was adopted in paintings of the
Annunciation, and accordingly came to be known as Annunciation
Lily and Mary's Lily.
12. 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 Our Lady's Tresses from the braid-like form of its
spiraling flowers. Still known today by the derived common name of
Ladies' Tresses
13. Our Lady's Eardrops Holy Card
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, as Mary "heard the word of
God and kept it."
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 employ Our Lady's flower symbols even
down to the present day.
14. Our Lady's Humility
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 associated with Our
Lady, the model of all virtues.
15. 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.
16. Holy Spirit Plant
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 Spirit 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."
17. 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.
8. Mary'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.
The chimes of the Angelus Tower of St. Joseph's Church in Woods
Hole, Massachusetts, beside which the Garden of Our Lady is
planted, bear the inscriptions:
"I will teach you of life and of life eternal" and "Thanks be to
God".
19. Our Lady's 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, in 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.
20. Our Lady's Thimble Holy Card
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 Savior, to be born of her womb.
21. 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.
22. Our Lady's Pincushion Holy Card
Here is another XX Century English holy card, this one based on
Our Lady's Pincushion, just shown, which is commonly 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.
23. 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 - a symbol of his divinity.
24. Our Lady's Milkdrops
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 Incarnate, He was also
true man, born of Mary's womb and suckled at her breast.
25. Star of the Epiphany
The Chrysanthemum is associated with the Epiphany, the
manifestation of the Savior to the Gentiles, by a legend which
tells us it was in bloom before the manger in Bothlehem. From 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 mother's knees.
26.
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 bear the
name of the feast.
27.
Blue Flag Iris, also called Sword Lily, from its sword-like
foliage, 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.
28. 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 Brushes, 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.
29. Our Lady's Resting Place
There are a number of legends associated with the rests taken by
the Holy Family during the Flight Into Egypt. The blue mats of
veronica ground cover, shown here, were known as Our Lady's
Resting Place.
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 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. Flowers of the Field
Authorities tell us the flowers growing in the fields and along
the roadways where Jesus taught, and to which he referred in His
Parables, were in all probability 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.
We are in awe when we consider that the Flowers of the Holy Land
today have come from those on which Jesus and Mary gazed.
32. Book of Hours - The Arrest of Christ
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 of the Prophecy of Isaias, and
because we have Our Lord himself always with us in the Holy
Eucharist, in his priests and in our neighbor.
33. Passion Flower
The Passion Flower, a marvellous providential flower "signature"
discovered by missionaries to the New World, embodies in its
multiple symbolism the lash of Christ's Scourging, the Crown of
Thorns, the Cross, the 3 Nails, Christ's 5 Wounds, Christ's Blood
Drops and the World Christ came to save. In Germany it is known
as Mother of God's Star. For our meditation a number of flowers
symbolise aspects of Christ's passion individually.
The Passion Flower is unique among symbolical flowers in that the
actual place and year of its discovery are know: Mexico, 1610.
Over 400 species of this genus have subsequently been discovered.
34. Our Lady's Tears
Our Lady's sorrows at the foot of the Cross were 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-Redemptrix whose tears were joined with the Blood of
Christ, our Redeemer, in the accomplishment of the work of our
redemption.
35. 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
Assumption, August 15.
36. 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. Our Lady's Delight
The pansy, through its three colors in its wild form: yellow, blue
and white, 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.
(In the developed strains, where one color is dominant - as yellow
here - the other two colors are always found at the center.)
The 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. 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.
In Germany the following couplet describes its Symbolism:
"The Virgin Mary flies all over the land,
With Heaven's Fire in her hand."
39.
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.
40.
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 as she presents them to him.
41. Home Mary Gardens
The Mary Garden is first of all an appeal to the heart - as the
Flowers of Our Lady are envisaged with the illumination of their
symbolism. May it be that they bloom spiritually within the
garden of your interior life. Then, with your garden stewardship,
foliage, buds, and blooms will come of God's creatures, the seeds
and plants, in due season and according to his established order.
This is a home Mary Garden in which the Flowers of Our Lady are
planted around a small pool and in adjoining flower beds, before a
pole-mounted wayside shrine with figurine of the Madonna and
Child.
In such a garden further love is engendered as one tends the
Flowers of Our Lady through the year, leading to a desire to share
this love with others.
42. Plant Nursery Mary Gardens
A special means which both inspires and gives practical support
for Mary Gardening is a Mary Garden at a plant nursery.
This is a 30' by 60' Mary Garden maintained at a herb nursery in
Hagerman, Idaho for 20 years from 1959 to 1979.
Shown here in springtime bloom are some dozen varieties of thyme,
"Mary's Bedstraw", planted in the large cross extending from the
garden gate to the focal sculpture of the Virgin Mother and Child,
"Seat of Wisdom".
After being shown the Mary Garden, visible from the highway,
visitors and customers were accompanied on tours of the nursery beds
where they were told of the symbolic names and lore of the plants
examined.
Those desirous of starting Mary Gardens of their own were then
provided with informative literature, and plant lists from which to
make selections for a foundational planting.
43. Small Parish Mary Gardens
Parish Mary Gardens are typically started, with the supportive
permission of the pastor, by home Mary Gardeners who wish to share
the joy of the Flowers of Our Lady with their fellow parishioners.
This Mary Garden at Our Lady's Parish, Wangaratta, Victoria,
Australia was established for the 1985 Marian Year by the Pastor
and parishioners after he visited the Mary Garden at Our Lady's
Shrine in Knock, Ireland, whose raised bed design it follows.
The attractive, earth-colored brick enclosure (now landscaped with
shrubbery) matching the color of the building, provides a degree
of permanance, eliminates the need for edging or borders and
raises the level of the plants in a way which makes both their
viewing and their care more convenient - an excellent basis,
together with the small size, for continuity through the years
with a minimum of expense and gardening expertise.
44. Larger Parish Mary Gardens
A larger parish Mary Garden provides a more private enclosure
within which groups of parishioners can assemble for ceremonies or
celebrations, or where individuals may go for moments of
relaxation or prayer.
This is the Mary Garden at St. Mary's Church in Annapolis,
Maryland, adjacent to historic Carroll House - established in 1989
and cared for by parishioners who were first home Mary Gardeners.
(Photograph by Amy Davis, reprinted with permission of The
Baltimore Sun, from article, "Seeds of Devotion" by Susan Reimer.)
Much of our work at Mary's Gardens has been assisting parishes in
incorporating their Mary Gardens into parish life and in planning
for their care through the year and years.
Of primary importance has been the organization by the pastor and/or
founding Mary Gardeners of a parish Mary Garden Society or Guild
which assumes the responsibility for care of the Mary Garden, above
and beyond the work of basic parish grounds maintenance such as
grass cutting and leaf raking.
Essential elements of Parish Mary Garden Establishment
45. Monastery Mary Gardens
Due to limitations of time and space, Monastery Mary Gardens for
recollected meditation and reflection are often planted as niche
Mary Gardens in the landscaping or in a corner of a sacristan's
or kitchen garden.
This is a niche Mary Garden planted in a corner of a formal garden
of the Christian Brothers' Monastery at Iona, Tullamore, Co.
Offaly, Ireland.
Behind the miniature statue of Our Lady of Knock is a small piece
from the apparition wall in Knock. Beside the grotto are plants
from Fatima and Medagorge. Our Lady's Mantle and Heathers are in
the background. The irregular shaped stones on top are from the
Burren, Co. Clare. Some twenty-five Flowers of Our Lady in all
are included in the slope planting.
46. Shrine Mary Gardens
Shrine Mary Gardens provide a fit embellishment of the shrine
grounds for Mary, the "Flower of flowers", and serve to present to
pilgrims a further means of devotion to Our Lady upon returning
home.
As with the monastery niche Mary Garden just viewed, plants or
stones from the shrine region, "from within the radius of Mary's
presence", may be placed in the focal area of one's home Mary
Garden as "relics" of the shrine.
To our knowledge the first contemporary Mary Garden planted at a
diocesan shrine was that planted at the Lourdes Shrine at Dayton,
Ohio in 1954 by Father Thomas A. Stanley, S.M. - who years later
established the major Mary Garden at St. Catherine of Siena Parish
in Portage, Michigan when he was Pastor there.
This is a view of the grounds of Our Lady's Shrine at Knock,
Ireland, where an 8-bed Mary Garden with grotto was established at
the shrine Blessed Sacrament Chapel in 1983, and subsequently the
entire grounds were planted with the Flowers of Our Lady, making
it an Our Lady's Meadow.
47. Indoor Dish Mary Gardens
Indoor dish Mary Gardens planted around small figurines of Our
Lady provide an opportunity for those unable to garden outdoors to
have a Mary Garden, and to have it throughout the year.
Through the closeness to the Flowers of Our Lady while living with
them and caring for them indoors one comes to experience their
symbolism with a greater intimacy and devotional illumination than
in the outdoor Mary Garden.
Dish Mary Gardens also provide an opportunity to compose plant
tableaux around Mysteries of Our Lady, as in this dish Mary Garden
tableau of the Mystery of the Crucifixion, composed with Mary's
Sword of Sorrow (Iris), Our Lady's Tears (water drops on Lady's
Mantle), Crown of Thorns, and Our Lady's Rue (Rue).
48. Windowsill and Classroom Mary Gardens
Windowsill Mary Gardens provide the same benefits as dish Mary
Gardens plus a larger number of plants, and the mobility of potted
plants permitting rearrangement for overall balance or composition
of tableaux for the liturgical seasons.
This is a home study windowsill Mary Garden, keeping the Flowers
of Our Lady symbolism at hand for the quickening of reflection and
prayer while writing or doing research.
Such windowsill Mary Gardens are especially suited to sunlit
classroom windowsills.
49. Greenhouse Mary Gardens
Greenhouse Mary Gardens, provide an opportunity for those in the
temperate climatic zones of North America and Europe, to
experience firsthand the beauty and symbolism of a variety of
tropical Flowers of Our Lady found and named by missionaries and
their converts in Mexico, Central and South America.
This is Our Lady's Solar Greenhouse at the Hagerman, Idaho herb
nursary - employing the engineering principles of passive solar
energy to provide for: the most effective exposure to the sun; the
storage of the sun's heat in black drums of water and bottles of
dyed water for nighttime and cloudy weather warmth; the use of
insulating panels and blinds to minimize heat loss at night; and
the control of air circulation.
Statues of Our Lady of Fatima, recalling the Fatima miracle of the
sun, and of Our Lady of Guadalupe, representing Mary as the Woman
clothed with the sun of Revelations, were used as focal figures on
greenhouse plant tables, as shown.
The individual flower pots in which the tropical Flowers of Our
Lady were grown permitted ready movement of the plants to arrange
blooms around the statues at all times.
Another greenhouse table was used for the composition of plant
tableaux for the various liturgical seasons - such as those of the
Immaculate Conception, the Nativity, Lent, the Sacred and
Immaculate Hearts.
Also on display for visitors - in the greenhouse and on various
windowsills of the connecting house - were numerous dish Mary
Gardens.
50. Woods Hole Mary Garden
We conclude this presentation with a return to the mother Mary
Garden at St. Joseph's Church in Woods Hole.
Here we see the focal statue of Mary, Queen, as Our Lady of the
Annunciation with Madonna Lily blooms - reminiscent of the
Renaissance paintings of the Annunciation.
As we meditate on the Annunciation while praying the Angelus or
the first mystery of the Rosary in such a setting, the pure
translucent whiteness of the blooms quickens our interior sense of
Mary's spotless maidenly purity with which she received and
responded to the message of the angel.
The illumination of these and the other flower symbols of the
mysteries of Our Lady assist our active imaginations "that while
meditating on these mysteries of the Blessed Virgin Mary we may
imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise"
(concluding Rosary prayer); that we, like Mary, may be open to
God's call and responsive to his promptings in our lives.
And so may it be with all the Flowers of Our Lady in our hearts
and gardens.
(THE END)
Copyright, Mary's Gardens 1961, 1997