From: Elin Haaga [elinhaaga@mac.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 7:09 PM
To: m.wilkerson@wap.org
Subject: flowers for Mary
PLANTS FOR A MARY GARDEN

TREES AND SHRUBS

HAWTHORN TREE - this is known as the May tree in Britain and flowering branches of the tree were gathered in Mary’s honor in May. The thorns of the tree and the red berries in the winter are symbols of Jesus’ crown of thorns.
The best hawthorn for this area is called Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’

REDBUD
This tree was chosen because of it’s heart shaped leaves. The variety growing in our Mary Garden also has burgundy leaves, which are darkest in the spring. This variety is called Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’. The ordinary green form of redbud, is also a very good tree for this area. Redbuds have bright magenta flowers which line the branches in early spring - although there is one variety that has white flowers.

PERENNIALS FOR SUN

LILY - Annunciation lily, Virgin lily
Lilies need good drainage. Dig a deep hole and fill the bottom 6 inches with gravel - add a little soil and then plant the lily on top of that. The big white lilies that you can buy at Easter time can be planted out. That’s where the lilies in our Mary garden come from. Most lilies like full sun.

ROSE - Mary’s Rose
The new knockout roses are very easy to buy and very carefree. In general, shrub roses will be the easiest to grow here, also some of the old roses are very disease resistant. Roses like full sun and rich soil.

IRIS- symbol of Mary as queen
German, or bearded Iris are easy to grow here - the shorter varieties are usually best. They like good drainage, and will tolerate a little shade. Siberian Iris are more tolerant of wet soil and shade. The bright yellow Iris pseudacorus is very easy to grow, tolerant of many soil conditions and spreads. The tiny, early spring blooming Iris crestata likes shade and spreads, and even earlier is the bulb iris reticulata which blooms in February or March.

DAISY - Mary’s Star - the best daisy for here is a Shasta daisy called Becky. The simple Ox-eye daisies will also thrive.

DIANTHUS - Mary’s Love of God
Dianthus likes good drainage - good for rock gardens. Bath’s Pink is one of the best ones for this area. The bright pink form - Firewitch - may bloom twice for you.

ROSEMARY - St. Mary’s Tree likes poor soil, lime, good drainage, full sun and a protected position. Rosemary will survive all but the worst winters. The most winter hardy is one called Arp

CLEMATIS - Virgin’s Bower - Many types of clematis will grow here. Clematis Montana Rubens, is a very large vine with pale pink flowers. It blooms early and is very robust. Clematis Jackmanii, is an old variety with purple flowers, also a very large plant. All clematis like extremely good drainage - see Lily

ANNUALS FOR SUN
MARIGOLD - Easy to grow, needs full sun
CALENDULA - sometimes called a pot marigold - this is the original Mary Gold


PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

VIOLET - Our Lady’s Modesty
The wild violets in this area spread rapidly. Some other varieties in the viola family will not spread so much. The variety viola cornuta ‘lilacina’ is one of the best for this area, and unlike the violas that we buy as annuals in the fall or spring, these are likely to become perennials.

LILY OF THE VALLEY - Mary’s Tears
Try to get a few pieces from a friend or buy them in pots. These will spread even in the shade of trees where they have to compete with tree roots. The lilies of the valley that you can buy mail order - bare root - are hard to establish.

COLUMBINE - Our Lady’s Shoes
The best type is Aquilegia canadensis. These do not live long as individual plants, but they will self seed if you do not put too much mulch down.

PULMONARIA - Mary’s Tears
Will grow wherever a hosta will grow. Can tolerate poor drainage - likes moisture. There are many different types with blue or pink flowers in the spring and leaves that become larger as the summer goes on. Some of the leaves have white spots, other have white stripes. An excellent plant to grow here - it is even deer resistant.

LADY FERN
Athyrium Felix-femina - grows well here. Liles shade, but will also take some sun

LADY’S MANTLE -Alchemilla mollis
Large light green leaves, and frothy chartreuse flowers Likes some shade. Can be divided in the fall. We have a lots of this in our Mary garden

FORGET ME NOT - Eyes of Mary
Likes moist shade. Like the columbine, each plant only lasts a few years, but they will seed themselves around your garden if you don’t mulch too often and can recognise the seedlings so that you don’t weed them out.

SNOWDROP - Fair Maid of February, Flower of Purification
Plant snow drop bulbs in the Fall - they tolerate shade, and are the earliest flower to bloom

SWEET WOODRUFF -Lady’s Bedstraw This plant spreads in the shade. It has a neat dark green leaf and dainty white flowers in the spring. Although the plant is not scented, once it is dried it has pleasant scent, and was scattered in the straw on the floor of mediaeval bedchambers.



All the old garden plants with the lady or maid in the common name, are plants which would have been dedicated to Mary. Most flowering plants which were in cultivation in mediaeval times would have had some association with Mary since Mary as the Queen of Heavan, was also the Queen of Flowers.