Flowers of Faith

Have you ever seen a statue of Mary standing in a flower bed in somebody’s yard? Though these Mary gardens may look modern, they actually have an ancient history, dating back to seventh century Europe, when a saint named Fiacre dedicated his flower garden to Our Lady. During the Middle Ages, there were so many flowers named for Mary that one could create a garden focused on specific aspects of her life. For example, Our Lady’s Tears (spiderwort) and Mary’s Sword of Sorrow (German iris) might be used to illustrate her suffering, while Virgin Bower (wisteria) and Our Lady’s Modesty (violet) could celebrate her purity. There were even flowers named for parts of her body such as Mary’s Foot (sweet pea) and Eyes of Mary (forget me-not) and others that described her clothing, including Lady’s Veil (baby’s breath) and Our Lady’s Shoes (columbine). Ever wonder about the origin of the word “marigold?” It’s a contraction of the flower name “Mary’s Gold.” When the Reformation spread through the continent, Marian flowers were renamed in a secular fashion. But, with the help of horticultural historians and folklore experts, hundreds of the original names were rediscovered in the 20th century and serve as the inspiration for Mary gardens, both public and private, all around the world.