Reflection: Mary's Garden

You are an enclosed garden, my sister, my bride, an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed. Song of Solomon 4:12

Mary's Garden is a garden filled with flowers, plants and trees named for Mary and Jesus. It is designed to be a place of beauty, a place to pray and contemplate God's creation and a place to ponder the lives of Jesus and Mary and ask them to make your heart a garden for them.

During the Middle Ages, people saw reminders of Mary, the Mother of God, in the flowers and herbs growing around them. Violets were symbols of her humility, lilies her purity and roses her glory. They called her “Flower of Flowers,” and named plants after her. Marigolds were Mary’s Gold, clematis was the Virgin’s Bower and lavender was Our Lady’s Drying Plant. People decorated her altars with flowers on her feast days. In the last century, people also honored Mary with flowers. May crownings were the tradition in Catholic schools during Mary’s month of May and home altars bearing an image of Mary were decorated with blossoms. Those traditions have almost disappeared, but the medieval custom of finding reminders of Mary in flowers and herbs is an important one.

Flower and herb legends tell us about important moments in Mary’s life. The Madonna Lily was carried by the Angel Gabriel when he visited Mary to tell her God had chosen her to be the mother of the Savior. Our Lady’s Bedstraw, Holy Hay and other herbs became radiant in the humble manger where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Carnations and the Christmas Rose bloomed on that night.

More than 30 flowers and herbs are associated legends about Mary’s life. Many of the plants can be easily grown. A Mary Garden is a garden dedicated to Mary. Mary Gardens can be found throughout the world and in places  where you can make a pilgrimage in her honor.

Lily of the Valley Convalleria majalis Mary’s Tears.
It was said that when Mary wept at the foot of the Cross, her tears fell to the ground and turned into the tiny fragrant blossoms of this early spring plant. In England it had the name “Our Lady’s Tears” because when viewed from a distance the white flowerets gave the appearance of teardrops falling. The lily of the valley was a symbol of the Virgin Mary because of its pure white flowers, sweet smell and humble appearance. It symbolized Mary’s Immaculate Conception and represented the purity of body and soul by which Mary found favor with God.

O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Heavens, Queen of the May. O Mary, make our hearts a garden of prayers for all the intentions we place into your hands.