If you are a May baby your birth flowers are Lily-of-the-valley and Hawthorn. This post is about Lily-of-the-valley. With its small, dainty, bell-shaped white flowers, it is a perennial groundcover that spreads aggressively given the right conditions. These flowers represent sweetness and purity.
It produces pendulous, bell-shaped white flowers with a strong, sweet smell. It can also produce pink or purple blossoms.
Lily-of-the-valley Meanings and Symbolism
- In ancient astrology, Lily-of-the-valley was said to be protected by the son of the goddess Maia. In Greek mythology, that son was Hermes; for the Romans, it was Mercury.
- According to legend, Lily-of-the-valley fell in love with the song of the nightingale and only bloomed when the bird returned to the woods in May.
- It is also believed that Apollo created the ground cover flower for nymphs to walk on.
- This flower has been associated with motherhood, sweetness, purity, and humility. It signifies a return to happiness, likely due to its time of bloom and the anticipation of summer.
- In Christian lore, Lily-of-the-valley came to be from Eve’s tears after she was expelled from the Garden of Eden. It has also been said that Lily-of-the-valley sprouted from the tears of Mary at the site of Christ’s crucifixion.
Lily-of-the valley in History
- In the 1500s, King Charles IX was gifted a lily-of-the-valley for good luck on May Day, and each year following, he continued the tradition of gifting the flowers for luck.
- In France, the tradition of gifting Lily-of-the-valley continues as a symbol of good luck.
- In Serbia, Lily-of-the-valley is picked on St. George’s feast day, and people decorate their homes with the flowers to bring about good luck and prosperity.
- The flower is mentioned numerous times in the bible and has also been associated with Christ’s second coming.
- Thomas Jefferson recorded the flower in a list of hardy perennials that grew at his Monticello home.
- Due to its sweet fragrance, Lily-of-the-valley is a popular choice for wedding bouquets. In Holland, newlyweds have been known to plant Lily-of-the-valley in their garden to bring about luck in their marriage. The flowers were also part of the bridal bouquets of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.
- In Helston, England, the Lily-of-the-valley is worn during the Furry Dance, a centuries-old celebration observed on May 8 each year.
- Lily-of-the-valley is the national flower of Finland.
You may now like to read this post ‘Some Foods In Season During May’ which also has some recipe suggestions – see here
All the best Jan