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Intro Mary Garden
U.K. Flowers of Our Lady
The following is a list of medieval Flowers of Our Lady from
surviving oral popular religious traditions of the UK
countrysides.
The primary sources are Britten and Holland's Dictionary of
English Plant Names (1886) and Grigson's An Englishman's Flora
(1958) both based on local texts and oral traditions. Britten and
Holland's listing is alphabetical; Grigson's listing is by
botanical family, with information of the county location(s) in
which each name was found to be current.
An additional source is Dowling's The Flowers of the Sacred
Nativity (1900) based on a survey of religious and folklore texts
for shrubs and trees associated with religious customs and
celebrations.
Religiously named flowers introduced from other countries are not
included here, except for a few whose names have become current in
the UK, such as Ladies' Eardrops (Fuchsia) and the Passion Flower.
Special mention should be made of the National Collection of
Passiflora in Bristol, documented, with exquisite photographs, by
John Vanderplank in Passion Flowers (Second Edition), MIT Press,
1996.
Other, secondary, sources are:
The Oxford English Dictionary (Second Edition, 1985), which
contains the notation under "Lady":
"In names of plants Lady's. . .is in origin a shortening of
Our Lady's and became familiar through the 16th ccentury
herbalists. In more recent times, ladies' has in some cases
been substituted, the change being perhaps assisted by the
old spelling ladies of the possessive singular. The
designation is usually given to plants of a more than usual
beauty or delicacy. (Cf. G. Marien-, frauen-, and F.
de notre Dame.)",
The Mary Calendar by Judith Smith (1930), which is included
because it is the source of the list of plants desired for the
planting by Frances Crane Lillie of Our Lady's Garden at the
Angelus Tower of St. Joseph's Church in Woods Hole, on Cape Cod,
Massachsetts, USA in 1932 - the mother garden of the contemporary
Mary Garden restoration movement. Smith's listing is by bloom
time through the year.
Also included is the list of the plants "associated by tradition
and legend with the Blessed Virgin Mary" planted in beds of the
cloister garden of The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, in Lincoln, by John Codrington of the Lincoln Herb Society
in 1979.
This composite listing is made alphabetically by botanical name,
and includes listings of multiple religious names for the same
plant where they occur. Columns (B)ritten, (C)odrington,
(D)owling, (G)rigson, (O)xford, and (S)mith indicate the sources
in which they are found. Also given is the primary source from
which each listing has been obtained.
Many of the UK religious flower names are paralleled by similar
names in the oral religious traditions of other countries, such as
France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the Latin American mission
countries - which are, or will be, listed in other studies on this
web site. Contemporary Mary Gardens typically draw on plant
materials from all these traditions to provide for horticultural
and theological comprehensiveness, not limited to the plants of
any one tradition.
A unique aspect of the old religious flower names from the UK, as
can be seen from the list, is that they preponderantly refer to
Our Lady, and in this to her motherhood at the Nativity and in her
envisaged life at Nazareth - to her person, her garments and her
household articles. In this there is a striking correspondence
with old Marian English poetry, which is most sublime in its
praises of Mary's maidenly spirituality and her Divine Maternity.
No doubt there are also correspondences here to the calling of
England "Our Lady's Dowery", and to the spirituality of
Walsingham.
As each of the nations glorifies God and the Salvation of the
World in a special way, England, as reflected in its religious
flower symbolism, offers the world a special sense of the Nativity
of Christ, of Mary's Divine Maternity, and of the way to Jesus
through Mary's Joyful Mysteries.
It is to other traditions - those of France, Germany, Spain and
Latin America - that we turn for additional flower symbols of the
Passion and Resurrection of Christ, and of the Sorrowful and
Glorious Mysteries of Our Lady.
The UK Flowers of Our Lady
References:
BRITT - Britten and Holland, A Dictionary of English Plant
Names, Trubner, London, England, l878
CODRIGTON - Codrington, John, The Plants of the Cloister Gardens,
Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, England, 1979
DOWLING - Dowling, Alfred E.P. Raymond; The Flora of the
Sacred Nativity; Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.,
Ltd, London, England, 1900
GRIGSON - Grigson, Geoffrey, The Englishman's Flora, Phoenix
House Ltd, London, England, 1958
OXFORD - The Oxford Dictionary, Clarendon Press, Oxford,
England, 2nd Edition, 1989
SMITH - Smith, Judith, The Mary Colendar, St.Dominic's Press,
Ditchling, England, 1930
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Achemilla vulgaris Lady's Mantle Lady's Mantle Britt 295 X X
Adenophera Bellflower Lady Bell Oxford X
Adiantum cap. veneris Maiden Hair Fern Our Lady's Hair Britt 295 X X
Maiden's Hair Britt 319 X
Adonis annua Pheasants' Eye Love Lies Bleeding Grig 43 X
Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony Church Steeples Britt 104 X X
Alchemilla vulgaris Ladies Mantle Lady's Mantle Britt 295 X X X
Anaphalis margaritacea Pearly Everlasting Lady-Never-Fade Grig 171 X
Anastatica hierontiaca Resurrection Plant Rose of Jericho Dowl 107 X X
Holy Night Rose Dowl 107 X
Anemone nemorosa Wood Anemone Candlemas Caps Grig 34 X
Lady's Milkcans Grig 34 X
Lady's Nightcap Britt 296 X X
Lady's Petticoat Grig 34 X
Lady's Purse Grig 34 X
Lady's Shimmy Grig 34 X
Angelica archangelica Archangel Archangel Dowl 33 X
Resurrection Flower Dowl 33 X
Anthyllis vulneraria Kidney Vetch Lady's Cushion Grig 138 X
Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X
Lady's Slipper Grig 138 X
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley Lady's Lace Grig 209 X
Lady's Needlework Grig 209 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Aquilegia vulgaris Columbine Lady's Slippers Britt 296 X X
Lady's Shoes Britt 296 X X
Arabis albida Rock Cress Our Lady's Cushion Britt 294 X
Armeria maritima Thrift Lady's Cushion Britt 296 X X X
Lady's Pincushion Britt 296 X X X
Armeria vulgaris Thrift Our Lady's Cushion Britt 294 X X
Arum maculatum Cuckoo Pint Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X X
Lady's Keys Grig 429 X
Lady-Lords Grig 429 X
Lady's Slipper Grig 429 X
Lady's Smock Britt 297 X X
Asperula odorata Sweet Woodruff Our Lady's Lace Codr X
Astericus aquaticus Astericus Rose of Jericho Dowl 110 X
Athyrium Felix-foemina Lady Fern Lady Fern Britt294 X
Betula alba Birch Lady Birch Britt 293 X
Briza media Quaking Grass Lady's Tresses Oxford X
Our Lady's Hair Britt 295 X X X
Calutha plustris Marsh Marigold Mary's Gold Dowl 34 X X
Calceolaria (gen.) Pouch Flower Lady's Purses Britt 291 X
Lady's Slipper Britt 296 X
Calendula officinalis Pot Marigold Mary Bud Britt 326 X X
Marygold Britt 324 X
Calystegia sepium Large Bindweed Lady's Nightcap Grig 288 X
Lady's Shimmy Grig 288 X
Lady's Smock Grig 288 X
Lady's Umbrella Grig 288 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Campanula (gen.) Bell Flower Mary's Bells Dowl 120 X
Campanula medium Canterbury Bells Lady's Nightcap Britt 296 X
Lady's Smock Britt 296 X
Marian's Violet Oxford X
Mariet Oxford X
Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Lady's Thimble Britt 297 X X X
Campanula speculum Venus' LookingGlassLadys Looking Glass Britt 295 X
Capsella bursa pastor. Shepherd's Purse Lady's Pouches Britt 296 X X
Lady's Purses Grig 58 X
Cardamine pratensis Cuckoo Flower Lady's Cloak Grig 65 X
Lady's Flock Grig 65 X
Lady's Glove Grig 65 X
Lady's Mantle Grig 65 X
Lady's Milk Sile Britt 296 X X X
Lady's Needlework Grig 67 X
Lady's Pride Grig 66 X
Lady's Smock Britt 296 X X X
Carduus benedictus Blessed Thistle Virgin M. Thistle Britt 482 X
Our Lady's Thistle Britt 297 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Carduus marianus Milk Thistle Our Lady's Thistle Britt 297 X X X
Lady Milk Britt 295 X
Centauria nigra Knapweed Lady's Balls Grig 390 X
Lady's Cushion Grig 390 X
Chelidonium majus Celandine Jacob's Ladder Dowl 129 X
Centranthus ruber Jupiter's Beard Sweet Mary Britt 460 X
Lady's Needlework Grig 338 X
Chrysanthemum bals. Costmary Madonna's Herb Codr X
Chrysanthemum indic. Chrysanthemum Christmas Flower Dowl 101 X
Chrysanthemum seget Annual Chrysanth Marygold Oxford X
Chrysoplenium opp. Golden Saxifrage Our Lady's Cushion Britt 294 X X
Clematis virginiana Clematis Virgin's Bower Britt 482 X
Clematis vitalba Traveller's Joy Lady's Bower Britt 294 X X X X X
Maiden's Hair Grig 36 X
Virgin's Bower Britt 482 X
Conium maculatum Hemlock Lady's Needlework Grig 214 X
Convallaria majalis Lily of the Valley Ladder-to-Heaven Grig 398 X X
Lady's Tears Grig 398 X
Lily of the Valley Oxford X X
Convolvulus sepium Rutland Beauty Lady's Nightcap Britt 297 X
Lady Smock Britt 296 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Convolvulus arvensis Bindweed Lady's Smock Grig 287 X
Lady's Sunshade Grig 287 X
Cotyledon umbilicum Navelwort Lady's Navel Britt 296 X
Crataegus oxyacanth. English Hawthorn Lady's Meat 8ritt 295 X
Crataegus oxy.praec. English Hawth.var Christ's Thorn Britt 104 X
Glastonbury Thorn Dowl 86 X
Cuscuta epithymum Dodder Our Lady's Lace Grig 289 X X
Maiden's Hair Grig 289 X
Cymbalaria muralis Ivy Leafed Toadflx Madonna's Herb Codr X
Cypripedium calceolus Ladyslipper Orchid Lady's Slipper Britt 296 X X X
Cytisus laburnum Golden Chain Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X
Delphinium (gen.) Delphinium Jacob's Ladder Dowl 129 X
Dianthus deltoides Gilly-Flower Maiden Pink Grig 88 X
Dictamnus fraxinella Burning Bush Burning Bush Dowl 133 X
Digitalis purpurea Foxglove Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X X
Lady's Gloves Britt 294 X X X
Lady's Slipper Grig 302 X
Lady's Thimble Britt 297 X X
Lady's Thumb Britt 297 X X
Virgin's Fingers Grig 302 X
Dipsacus fullonum Fuller's Teasel Lady's Brushes Grig 360 X
Our Lady's Basin Grig 360 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Drosera rotundifolia Sundew Gideon's Fleece Dowl 43 X X
Echium vulgare Viper's Bugloss Our Lord's Flannel Dowl 152 X X
Eranthis hyamalis Winter Aconite Christmas Flower Dowl 114 X X
Euphorbia sp. Spurge VirginMary's Nipple Dowl 158 X
Erodium circutarium Stork's Bill Madonna's Pins Smith 41 X
Filipendula hexapetal. Meadow Sweet Our Lady's Ruffles Britt 296 X
Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet Lady of the Meadow Grig 143 X
Fuchsia speciosa Fuchsia Christ's BloodDrops Dowl 43 X
Lady's Eardrops Britt 294 X
Our Lady's Earrings Codr X
Fumaria officinalis Fumitory God's Little FingersGrig 51 X X
Lady's Lockets Grig 51 X
Lady's Shoe Grig 51 X
Gageaa lutea Goat's Rue Our Lady's Cowslip Britt 294 X
Galeobdalon luteum Yellow Archangel Archangel Grig 326 X
Galium verum Yellow Bedstraw Cradle Grass Dowl 43 X
Maiden's Hair Britt 319 X
Our Lady's Beds Britt 294 X X X
Our Lady's Bedstraw Britt 294 X X X X X
Galanthus nivalis Snowdrops Candlemas Bells Dowl 177 X X X
Our Lady's Bells Codr X
Gythroea centaurium Cockayne Christ's Ladder Britt 104 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Heleborus niger Christmas Rose Christmas Rose Britt 10 X X X X
Christ's Bloom Smith 3 X
Holy Night Rose Smith 3 X
Hypericum perforatum St. John's Wort St. John's Wort Dowl 26 X
llex aquifolium English Holly Burning Bush Dowl 43 X X
Christmas Bush Dowl 130 X
Christ's Thorn Grig 115 X
Holy Tree Dowl 130 X
Inula conyza Fleawort Lady's Glove Oxford X
Ipomea purpurea Morning Glory Lady's Mantle Britt 295 X
Juniperus Juniper (Flight legend) Dowl 199 X
Knautia arvensis Field Scabious Lady's Cushion Grig 361 X
Lady's Hatpins Grig 361 X
Lady's Pincushion Grig 361 X
Lamium purpureum Dead Nettle Madonna's Milk Smith 43 X
Lathyrus praetensis Everlasting Pea Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X X
Lady's Slipper Grig 142 X
Lilium candidum Madonna Lily Madonna Lily Oxford X X
Lilium martagon Turk's Cap Lily of Nazareth Dowl 144 X
Linaria cymbalaria Toadflax Madonna's Herb Smith 44 X
Linaria vulgaris Toadflax Lady's Slipper Grig 296 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Lonicera caprifolium Honeysuckle Our Lady's Fingers Dowl 111 X X
Lonicora periclymenum Honeysuckle Lady's Fingers Grig 355 X
Lotus corniculatus Birds Foot Trefoil Lady's Boots Grig 136 X
Our Lady's Cushion Britt 294 X X X
Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X X
L. Fingers & Thumbs Grig 136 X
Lady's Finger Grass Grig 136 X
Lady's Glove Britt 295 X
Lady's Shoes Grig 136 X
Lady's Shoes & Stkg Britt 296 X X X
Lady's Slipper Britt 296 X X
Lychnis dioica Red Campion Mary's Rose Smith 31 X
Lychnis vespertina White Campion Our Lady's Candles Smith 31 X
Malva moschata Musk Mallow St.Simeon's Flower Smith 38 X
Malva sylvestris Common Mallow Lady's Cheeses Grig 100 X
Mentha pulegium Pennyroyal Churchwort Britt 104 X X
Mentha viridis Spearmint Our Lady's Mint Britt 296 X
Mesembryanthemum Fig Marigold Marygold Oxford X
Myosotis Forget-me-not Eyes of Mary Smith 23 X X
Myrospermum toluf. Tolu Tree Mary's Tree Oxford X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Narcissus psuedonarc. Wild Daffodil Lady's Ruffles Grig 416 X
Lent Lily Grig 416 X
Nepeta hederacea Ground Ivy Madonna's Herb Smith 10 X
Nepeta glechoma Ground Ivy Where God Has Walkd Smith 10 X
Nymphaea alba White Water-lily Our Lady ofthe Lake Grig 47 X
Onobrychis sativa Saintfoin Holy Hay Smith 24 X X
Ononis arvensis Rest Harrow Lady Whin Britt 294 X X
Orchis mascula Spotted Orchis Mary's Hand of Pity Dowl 158 X X
Lady Fingers Britt 294 X X
Ornithogalum umbelatum Star of Bethlehem Star of Bethlehem Dowl 184 X X X
Oxalis acetosella Wood Sorrel Alleluia Flower Smith 17 X
Lady Cakes Grig 108 X
Lady's Clover Britt 294 X X
Lady's Meat Britt 295 X
Passiflora caerulea Passion Flower Passion Flower Dowl 28 X
Paliurus aculeatus Christ's Thorn Britt 104 X
Polygonatum multifl. Solomon's Seal Jacob's Ladder Dowl 129 X
Polymonium caerul. Jacob's Ladder Jacob's Ladder Dowl 128 X
Herb Charity Dowl 128 X
Polypodium vulgaris Wall Ferm Golden Maidenhair Dowl 156 X
Potamogeton nutans Pondweed Lady Wrack Grig 397 X
Pteridium aquilinus Bracken Fern of God Smith 46 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Phalaris arund picta Ribbon Grass Lady's Garters Britt 295 X X
Lady's Laces Britt 295 X X
Lady's Ribands Britt 296 X
Lady Grass Britt 294 X
Polygonatum multifl. Solomon's Seal Lady's Seal Britt 296 X X
Lady's Signet Britt 296 X
Polygonum persicaria Lady's Thumb Lady's Thumb Oxford X X
Virgin Mary's Pinch Britt 481 X
Populus alba White Poplar Lady Poplar Grig 254 X
Populus fastigiata Lombardy Poplar Lady Poplar Britt 294 X
Potentilla anserina Silverweed Footsteps of Christ Smith 25 X
Hand of Mary Smith 25 X
Primula veris Cowslip Lady's Fingers Britt 294 X X X
Lady Keys Britt 294 X X X X
Primula vulgaris Primrose Lady's Frills Britt 295 X
Pteris aquilina Brake Jesus Christ-wort Dowl 172 X
Pulmonaria officin. Spotted Lungwort Lady's Milk Sile Britt 295 X X
Our Lady' Milkwort Britt 295 X
Lady's Pincushion Britt 296 X X
Mary and Joseph Codr X
Mary's Breast Milk Dowl 159 X
Virgin M.Cowlip Britt 481 X X
Virgin M.Honeysuckl Britt 481 X
Virgin M.Milk Drops Britt 481 X X
Virgin Mary's Tears Britt 481 X X X X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Quercus ruber Oak Maiden Oak Grig 250 X
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup Lady's Slipper Grig 39 X
Ranunculus bulbosus Bulbous Buttercup Maiden in th Meadow Grig 40 X
Pyrus Pear variety Lady Pear Oxford X
Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary St. Mary's Tree Dowl 103 X X X
Rubus fruticosus Blackberry var Lady's Garters Britt 294 X X
Saponaria officinalis Soapwort Pink of God Grig 89 X X
Sarothamnus scoparius Broom Lady's Slipper Grig 128 X
Saxifraga granulata Meadow Saxifrage Lady's Featherbeds Grig 187 X
Saxifraga hypnoides Mossy Saxifrage Our Lady's Cushion Britt 294 X X
Saxifraga umbrosa London Pride Our Lady's Cushion Dowl 203 X
Scabiosa atropurpurea Sweet Scabious Lady's Pincushion Britt 296 X
Scandix pecten veneris Venus' Comb Lady's Comb Britt 294 X X
Seliginella lepidophyl Club Moss Resurrection Flower Dowl 111 X
Silybum marianum Milk Thistle V. Mary's Thistle Britt 482 X X
Sonchus oleraceus Sow Thistle St. Mary's Seeds Britt 326 X X X
Specularia hybrida Corn Bellflower Ladies Glasse Grig 338 X
Spiranthus autumnalis Ladies Tresses Lady's Tresses Britt 297 X X
Spirea ulmaria Meadow Sweet Lady o' The Meadow Britt 296 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Stellaria holostea Easter Bell Lady's Buttons Grig 90 X
Lady's Chemise Grig 90 X
Lady's Lint Britt 295 X X
Lady's Needlework Grig 90 X
Lady's Smock Grig 90 X
L. White Petticoat Grig 90 X
Star of Bethlehem Dowl 186 X
Symphytum officinale Comfrey Abraham,Isaac,Jacob Grig 281 X
Church Bells Grig 281 X
Tagetus (genus) Marigold Marygold Britt 324 X X
Tamus communis Black Bryony Lady's Seal Britt 296 X
Lady's Signet Britt 296 X X
Tanacetum vulgare Tansy Jesus-wort Smith 42 X
Thymus serpillum Wild Thyme Cradlewort Smith 29 X
Our Lady's Bedstraw Grig 320 X
Cradlewort Dowl 116 X
Torilis japonica Hedge-Parsley Lady's Needework Grig 211 X
Tragopogon porrifolius Salsify Star of Bethlehem Dowl 186 X
Trifolium praetense Red Clover Lady's Posies Grig 132 X
Tussilago farfara Coltsfoot Son Before Father Oxford X X
Umbilicus rupestrus Navelwort Lady's Navel Grigg 184 X
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name Reference B C D G O S
Verbascum thapsis Great Mullein Lady's Candle Grig 295 X
Lady's Candlestick Britt 101 X
Lady's Flannel Grig 295 X
Lady's Foxglove Britt 295 X
Our Lady's Taper Grig 295 X X X
Our Saviors Flannel Dowl 74 X
Virgin Mary's Candl Britt 481 X X X
Veronica chamaedrys Germander SpeedwellGod's Eyes Dowl 203 X X
O.L. Resting Place Smith 20 X
Lady's Thimble Britt 297 X
Lady's Thumb Britt 297 X
Virburnum opulus Guelder Rose Lady's Pincushion Grig 354 X
Viola tricolor Pansy Herb Trinity Smith 23 X
Viscum album Mistletoe (Rod of Jesse) Smith 49 X