A Mary Garden Roses & Violets II

II. Overview of Mary’s Flowers Gardens, Legends, & Mediations, a book review Get it while you can.

A. Why Mary? She more than any other person embodied what it means to live in and for Christ. She is the model for all believers. Our forebearers knew this profound and simple truth. Seeing God in nature a masterpiece, they saw Mary as well his masterpiece too. Linking the beauty of the two was natural to their perspective. Before the ‘Enlightenment” over a thousand plants were named for Our Lady demonstrating this link survive in our times. Literature and Art give witness to this connection. John Gay, Shakespeare, Chaucer are but a few noted writers who Our Lady’s connection to flowers shown in their works. Mary was very much intertwined with daily life.

O fragrant rose, lily chaste,
O violet of purity,
Thine eye of grace upon us cast,
Noster misericorde.
Medieval carol

Today, some of the Marian names are linked to their botanical names though the preservation of these local names by oral tradition. Local names are helpful to botanists when collaborating with residents near a colony of plants.

Infusion of grace into nature.

Flowering of French Revolution show forth in Nietzsche. Within 3 generations flowers become strictly botanical and loss to Blessed Mother and underlying grace.

Cultural viewpoint so readily see something of grace in the most common of things. Devotional not fear driven.

Naming of daughters of floral names. Long to name after Blessed Mother while having individuality.

The Blessed is truly Eden, from her comes forth Life. She is the perfection of Eden. The great garden who springs forth the Tree of Life.