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Gardening is an inexact science and surrounded
by centuries of tradition, folklore, myth and superstition. Hidden amongst it is
some age old wisdom and also some age old cobblers.
 Anemones
Anemones used to be called wind flower possibly because they grew in areas of wind
anemos
is Greek for wind (anemometer - wind speed measuring device).
Anemones were associated with Adonis who was loved by Aphrodite. In an attempt to
keep Adonis safe by hiding him in the Underworld, she was worried Adonis might be
hurt whilst hunting, but he ignored her. One day, whilst hunting wild boar, Adonis
shot a particularly large and nasty boar, who when hit by the arrows of Adonis,
turned on him and gored him to death. Aphrodite got to him just as he died and whilst
she wept over his lifeless body, Zeus created a flower that arose from the ground
where the blood had soaked in. This is the origin of the Anemone.
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Bleeding Hearts -
Dicentra spectabilis
 Bleeding
hearts look like dripping hearts. If you turn the flower upside down
though and slightly pull it apart, it looks just like a lady in the
bath (well a bit like a lady in the bath). The botanical name is from the Greek
di
(two) and
kentron
(spur)
spectabilis,
from Latin, means spectacular,
which they most certainly are!
There's a fairy story so I'm told about the bleeding heart flower, where
each piece is a part of the story, something to do with a prince and
princess. I've never heard it myself but asked if anyone else had on
the home page of this site in May 2002 in response to an enquiry. The
result ...... many emails asking if there was an answer, but no answer,
until I received the story below...
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I received this on the subject from
Pat Manly on the West Coast of Canada:
When I was a little girl (about 45 years ago), another child
told me this story. Since then, I have never met anyone
else who knew it. My bleeding hearts are in bloom at the
moment, which inspired me to do a Google search to see if I
could track down a more poetic version. No luck so far, but
I'll share what I have.
To tell this story successfully,
it is important to choose a blossom that is fully ripe (so that
the pieces come apart without much struggle), but not yet beginning
to fade (so that the stem and pistil remain attached at the
end). It also helps to pinch the petals and other bits
away from the stem ever so carefully...
I learned it this way:
These are the rabbits that
lived in her garden (the pink petals, separated and stood "ears
up")
These are the earrings she
wore (an elongated question mark with the stamens attached)
These are the slippers she
wore on her feet (little oriental slip-ons perhaps?)
And
this (the remaining
stem and pistil) is the dagger that stabbed her.
I was hoping to find a poem,
as it seems to me it really ought to rhyme, but no luck so far.
I did find a story, which had to to with a young man falling
in love with a beautiful princess, who spurned his affections.
In order to win her favour, he brings her gifts: two pink
rabbits, a pair of beautiful earrings, a pair of delicate oriental
slippers, all to no avail. Having failed to win her affection,
he takes out his dagger and stabs himself through his heart.
She then realizes (too late!) that she truly loves him, so vows
that her heart will eternally bleed in spring, hence the beautiful
bleeding heart flower.
Pat then followed with a link
to
this version she found on the web, so many thanks are due!
Robert Fortune is the one who introduced Dicentra to the western world, but only
after the Treaty of Nanking of 1842 gave botanists and plant collectors somewhat
better access to China.
 Buddleia
- Butterfly bush
The botanical name, Buddleia, is from Reverend Adam Buddle, a rector
in Essex. In 1708, Buddle wrote a treatise of British plants, giving
support to two botanists, John Ray and Joseph de Tournefort. Buddle
was an expert on mosses, but this didn't matter to Carl Linnaeus, the
Swedish father of botanical nomenclature and Carl named a new shrub
just recently from Peru in 1774, Buddleia globosa. Buddleia isn't tough
enough to survive through northern New England winters, but is a welcome
shrub in other, more southerly zones. The nickname, butterfly bush
comes from the fact that it is favoured by butterflies which can
often be found in great numbers on the flowers, bees are also
greatly attracted to it too.
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Camellia
Despite stories to the contrary, the camellia was not named for the notorious 19th
century French courtesan Camille. Although, Camille used to carry a bouquet of camellias,
for twenty-five days, the camellias were white, for five days, they were red, this
was thought to indicate the five days of the month she was experiencing her menses.
(We are not told how Camellias were kept in bloom year round, presumably they weren't.)
Carl Linnaeus named the flower for Georg Josef Kamel, changing the 'K' to a 'C'
since there is no 'K' in Latin. Kamel had no contact with Camellias, probably never
even saw one, but, he was a missionary who researched plants and animals of the
Philippines. Linnaeus originally named the flower, Thea sinensis or Chinese tea,
but on second thought, in his second volume of Species Platarum, he changed it to
Camellia japonica.
Oriental green tea and the tea grown today in Australia is from the Camellia plant.
 Language
of flowers - Carnations,
Colour messages.
For the most part, carnations express love, fascination, and distinction. Light
red carnations represent admiration, while dark red denote deep love and affection.
White carnations indicate pure love and good luck. Striped symbolize a regret that
a love cannot be shared, purple carnations indicate capriciousness.
Pink carnations have the most symbolic and historical significance. According to
Christian legend, carnations first appeared on Earth as Jesus carried the Cross.
The Virgin Mary shed tears at Jesus' plight, and carnations sprang up from where
her tears fell. Thus the pink carnation became the symbol of a mother's undying
love, and in 1907 was chosen by Ann Jarvis as the emblem of Mother's Day.
 Daffodil
Bringing a single daffodil into the house is to
be avoided as it brings bad luck. A bunch ensures happiness. In Wales finding the
first daffodil of Spring is expected to bring more gold than silver to your life
and home during the following 12 months.
 Daisy
It is considered
lucky to step on the first daisy of the year, and spring has arrived when it
is possible to step on seven daisies with one footstep. To be avoided by young
children as if the plant was uprooted the child would grow-up stunted in height.
The traditional flower
to be used for "he loves me, he loves me not" enquiries. If a young girl grabs a
whole bunch of daisies with the eyes shut she can then count how many years she
would have to wait before she would marry (one per flower).
Passion Flower
Passion flowers are climbers and
vigorous ones at that. Used in protection and love magic. When passion flower is
used, it calms and brings peace to the home. You can sprinkle dried or fresh passion
flower over the doorsteps of your house to keep harm away. If you carry some of
the herb in an amulet bag, you will make friends easier since it will work to increase
your personal charisma making you more attractive and more likable. Place Passion
flower in a dream pillow and it will help you get a good nights sleep. Use in love
spells to attract love. You can also burn it as an incense to promote understanding.
Honeysuckle
- Lonicera
A wedding will soon occur if this plant
is brought into a house. Placing the flower in a female's bedroom is reputed to
encourage erotic dreams (not required for males however).
Lavender
Love, purification. Used in love
sachets and incense. Put 2 handfuls of lavender flowers into a square of cheese
cloth and tie with a purple ribbon use this aromatic "washcloth" in place of your
usual one. Lavender was thrown into Midsummer fires by witches as a sacrifice to
the ancient Gods.
On a more mundane note, also used
as an insect repellent.
 Marigolds
In
the West Country (England) these are known as 'The Drunkards' due their reputation
for turning people into alcoholics when the flowers are picked or even looked at
for any length of time.
The
Welsh traditionally believed the flower could be used as a weather omen. If the
flowers were not open early in the morning a storm was on the way. Used as a love
charm, in wedding garlands and posies, it was also believed that rubbing the flower
head on a wasp or bee sting would alleviate any pain.
Often used as companion plants with tomatoes to keep pests away.
 Pansies
Avoid picking these when you're in the
middle of a spell of fine weather or the rain will soon return according to tradition.
 Roses
Roses are known as THE herb of love.
Add rose bud petals to bath water to conjure up a lover. Put red rose petals in
a red velvet bag and pin this under your clothes to attract love - or you can wear
rosehips as beads to bring love to
you. rose oil and rose incense are
both used in love spells (if you're that way inclined). If you wash your hands with
rose water before mixing love potions, the potions will be stronger.
It's not all good news though, if the petals of a
rose are consciously scattered on the ground it is thought to be unlucky, and if
the petals fall from the plant when it is being held it is said that that person
will die (the when is less clear).
Different colour roses have different
meanings so you can use them to give someone a message magically.
What the different rose colors mean:
Red -
I love you
White - I love you not
Yellow - I love another
Moss rose - I admire you from afar
Pink - My love for you is innocent
Orange - I love you vigorously
Amethyst - I will love you forever
Wild - I love you because you are fair and innocent
Sage
- Salvia
Attributed with many healing properties the
botanical name comes from the Latin 'salvere' meaning 'to save". Used to relieve
sore throats, gums, typhoid fever, measles etc...you name it. This plant was believed
to have extremely powerful magical qualities and most ailments were treated with
it at some time.
Snowdrop
Frequently seen as an omen of death despite its springtime
prettiness. It symbolizes purity but is said to be unlucky to bring the flower into
the house if someone in the household is ill.
 Violet
A flower mainly of ill. Wearing it around your neck
can prevent drunkenness, but be careful as it is also believed to encourage fleas
to move into the home.
Violets originally warned of epidemic or death.
Blooming in the autumn the small dark green leaves and beautiful purple flowers
require shaded moist ground that has been undisturbed for some time to flourish.
Napoleons
favourite flower
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