The folklore of the plants in our gardens
Written for The Folklorian's Garden by Mel Lord
Ferns
Unfurling their delicate fronds in the dappled shade and thriving in damp crevices, Midsummer’s Eve was said to be the night when the mystical fern flower appeared. This mysterious bloom was capable of bringing happiness and fortune to any who found it. As it could only be collected once a year. In some tales it allows humans to speak with animals and in others it can hop nimbly about to escape being gathered. “Springwort” would only grow amongst ferns too, which also never stood still and could shine in the darkness like a candle.
Fern flowers were closely guarded by evil spirits. With an account in 1648 adamantly stating that an acquaintance who attempted to pick one had these spirits whisking around his ears like bullets, striking his hat and other parts of his body. This story claims that when the person went home and checked the box they’d used to hold the flowers it was empty. Though if fiddleheads were successfully recovered at Midsummer and dried out they could be carried to bring good luck.
Elsewhere seed seekers used stacks of twelve pewter plates to collect them, convinced that they’d fall through the first eleven but stick to the very last one. Alternatively shooting an arrow at the sun on midday of the summer solstice would cause the seeds to bleed from it. “Moonwort”, another alias for these plants, was allegedly capable of damaging iron too, specifically breaking locks, nails and horseshoes.
Foxgloves
With their green crowns, proud stalks and spire of bell shaped blooms the “witch’s thimble” is a treasured native wildflower. Also known as “goblin’s gloves” they can symbolise insincerity, insecurity or delirium and have a rich association with magic. In Wales a black dye made from ink found in their furry leaves was used to daub crosses or lines on cottage floors to keep witches out. They were also believed to have sprung up from the spilled blood of a Welsh prince, Saint Nectan. Who was killed by thieves and carried his own head home.
The freckles that decorate the inside of the flowers were said to be caused by the footprints of fairies, as they would live inside them. Helping foxes to evade hunters by gifting them to the creatures to wear on their paws. Foxgloves may also bow their heads in respect when the fair folk pass by. An old Irish potion to banish a changeling and force the fae to return the human baby says that three drops of juice squeezed onto their tongue and three drops in their ear will do the trick. If the changeling is also swung out of the house on a shovel. Alternatively, despite being toxic, this juice could be put in a child’s bath or a piece of the plant could be placed beneath their bed to protect them.
Rose
A staple of any garden, roses can bring sensational scents and an abundance of colour. Producing hips that are used by the fae to make themselves invisible, if eaten whilst turning anti-clockwise three times. In the language of flowers they represent eternal love and purity and Devonshire tradition declares that if one is picked on Midsummer Day then put away and not looked at for the rest of the year it will stay fresh until Christmas morning. Preserved perfectly, just as beautiful as the moment it was gathered. It was customary for a person’s intended partner to take that rose to the Christmas church service as a sign of their affection.
The Romans celebrated roses during the festival of Rosaria, which would take place from May to July. Garlands were made and placed on tombs in memory of passed loved ones. For this bloom was a symbol of death and often associated with funeral rites. Planting roses in churchyards so they can be used to decorate memorials is a practice they may have brought with them to Britain. In Ockley, a village in Surrey that sits on the old road Stane Street, this still takes place. With young women in particular putting bushes around their sweetheart’s graves here. Clandestine confessions were often shared beneath the roses during the Roman period too. A flower hung from the ceiling in the dining room indicated that any conversation that took place must remain a secret.
Feverfew
Known as a cure for being “elf shot” this plant was said to have spear-shaped leaves because it could fix any ailments caused by an elf’s invisible arrows. It was a popular belief during the Anglo-Saxon era that pains in the body, possibly those associated with rheumatism, arthritis or stitches, were symptoms of these magical injuries.
Feverfew was also allegedly capable of preventing the plague when planted by the door of the house, offering protection and purification. With both Dioscorides and Culpeper praising the benefits it offered to women, especially in childbirth. Though its name comes from its effectiveness against “all hot inflammation” as a fever reducer.
Thyme
With small silvery leaves, a fantastic fragrance and delicate flowers this plant is a worthwhile edition to any apothecary garden. In Scotland a tea of thyme was drunk to bring soldiers courage before battle. Since it was a herb capable of giving strength to anyone who needed it. There is also evidence from Europe of thyme being gathered at Midsummer and mixed with the cinders of old Christmas trees, then used to fumigate orchards. Banks of it were said to be home to fairies and it was mentioned by Oberon himself in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Fae would supposedly dance amongst the flowers and this plant, if eaten, could help to make them visible to mortal eyes. Particularly when brewed into a potion with hollyhocks, marigolds, hazel and the grass from a fairy’s throne.
Thyme can offer a degree of protection from malicious spirits. With a sprig under the pillow preventing nightmares and a posy in the pocket warding off evil and encouraging good luck. Though it was often a symbol of death too. In Wales it was traditionally placed on coffins to help souls pass over to the afterlife, since they were said to linger in its blooms.
Ox Eye Daisy
Daisies open in the early hours and remain unfurled until dusk has finally fallen. Though in a sudden downpour they will stay tightly shut. Petals pressed together. Leading to a belief that they are capable of predicting erratic summer storms. Their name comes from the old English "dageseage" which means "day's eye". Mimicked in Welsh with ”llygad y dydd” which also translates to “eye of the day“. Associated with gentleness and loyalty in the past this plant may have been connected to Freya. Patron of passion, beauty, witchcraft and war. Perhaps her favouritism is why keeping their roots beneath a pillow is said to draw unfaithful partners back and how wearing a daisy chain can bring about romance. Patches of them supposedly grow in spots where the fairy folk have danced during the last full moon and travelling fae also choose these places to sleep. Dreaming of them in summer was believed to bring good fortune.
This variety has earned the title of “moonpenny” due to a possible connection to Diana, Roman goddess of the moon, and their ability to glow in the evening light. Though the plant’s origin is attributed to a nymph named Belides. She wanted to escape the attention of the god of vegetation and gardens. When Vertumnus refused to leave her alone she decided she was better off as a humble flower and transformed. Remaining as a daisy ever since.
Cornflower
Cornflower, also known as “bachelor’s button”, is associated with romance, devotion and healing. It was traditionally worn on suits to determine whether men were looking for love. If this bright, edible bloom faded quickly then a relationship would too but if it stayed fresh then the couple could expect to live happily ever after.
Their Latin title “centaurea” is a reference to Chiron the centaur and herbalist. A wise mentor who lived on Mount Pelion and taught mythical heroes like Jason and Achilles all about hedgerow medicine. When Chiron was accidentally wounded by a poison tipped arrow he tried to use a cornflower compress as an antidote to Hydra venom, from the multi-headed snake defeated by his student Hercules. A monster which was also sometimes shown as a giant slug! Hercules had laced his weapons with this toxin and unfortunately the plant wasn’t powerful enough. Nine days later Chrion died. Unintentionally killed by his own pupil. Then he was honoured amongst the stars as the constellation Centaurus and immortalised in the etymology of the flower that almost saved him.
Another of their names reflects their colour, as “cyanus” means dark blue and is connected to a young man called Kyanos. He was allegedly infatuated with the goddess Flora and spent every day gathering “star thistles” to make garlands and offerings for her alter. Only dressing in cobalt clothes. He became too obsessed, rarely leaving the meadows, and was eventually found dead in the middle of a field. With cornflowers encircling his body. Presumably he’d passed away doing what he loved, picking flowers for Flora. She was heartbroken and named them after him, to commemorate his dedication and veneration. Making them a sign of enduring affection.
Yarrow
With tall stalks of frothy flowers this “military herb” will grow practically anywhere. Yarrow was given its common name by the Anglo Saxons and the word we still use today is a modernisation of the original “gearwe”. However the plant has many other nicknames, mostly related to its connection with historical heroes and bloody battlefields.
Homer claims in the Iliad that it grew abundantly around the city of Troy where the healer Chiron taught his infamous pupil Achilles to use “knight’s milfoil” when his soldiers were injured. Achilles himself was invulnerable to pain everywhere apart from one of his heels. Which is where his mother Thetis held him when she dipped him into the river Styx, the waters of the Underworld, as a baby. This myth led to the Latin “achillea” becoming the official name of the genus. Its association with war continued into the Roman period where it was known throughout the Empire for its astringent and blood-clotting properties. With Pliny the Elder insisting that the story of Achilles was true and he had indeed discovered a plant that was able to heal the wounded effectively. In fact yarrow has even been referred to as “nosebleed” because often the fragrant, feathery leaves were stuffed up people’s nostrils to stop them.
It was strewn on thresholds in East Anglia on Midsummer’s Eve to keep witches away, hung above cradles to protect babies from sickness and burned on the solstice to ward nasty spirits off too. In some areas of England it was believed that if a woman pulled yarrow from a young man’s grave or picked it from a churchyard she’d never visited before then it could be used in spells to find her true love when placed under her pillow, which would cure bad dreams at the same time.
Ivy
Clinging to crumbling mortar and climbing around ruined churches, castles and other old buildings ivy can come across as a bit of a nuisance. However if it grew on a house then the residents were said to be protected from harm. If it withered a disaster was imminent or the house was going to pass to someone else, according to Welsh superstition.
Girls in Oxfordshire went walking with their pockets full of ivy leaves, since they believed they were destined to bump into their future husbands if they did. Though the leaves must never be picked from a churchyard. As it was bad luck to do so. To earn good fortune young women in Rosshire would collect their sprigs still wet with May Day dew. In Herefordshire ivy leaves were picked on Halloween and one would be taken for each member of the family. They were placed in a bowl of water then used to divine whether anyone would die in the next year. With a symbol of a coffin supposedly appearing on the leaf of those who were doomed.
In the tragic Arthurian story of the star crossed lovers Tristan and Isolde their separate resting places were joined together as one by these vines, which grew back and became twisted together again no matter how many times they were cut down.
Chamomile
Revered as a healing herb for thousands of years, these dainty white flowers will treat hay fever, insomnia, common colds and indigestion. Chamomile’s association with medicine can be seen in a restorative spell from the 10th century known as the “Lay of the Nine Healing Herbs” or the “Nine Herbs Charm”. This plant is referred to in the list of ingredients vital for mending wounds, preventing infection or curing poisons. The lines about chamomile say;
“Remember, chamomile, what you made known, that never a man should lose his life from infection after chamomile was prepared for his food.”
It was often picked on Midsummer’s Day then crafted into a wreath that would be hung upon doors on June 24th to ward away misfortune during the months ahead.
Planting it on a grave was believed to help souls pass on peacefully and stop them from returning.
Wild Strawberry
One of Britain’s beloved heralds of summer, it's the perfect time to be indulging in a refreshing bowl of strawberries. Just ensure that the first crop of the year is given to the gods, or fairies, to encourage a bountiful harvest. This was common practice in Cornwall and Ireland, with other areas of Europe hanging baskets of them on the horns of their cows as a way of bribing the local spirits to bless their milk.
Associated with Freya and Venus, as a plant of fertility and affection, the Earl of Leicester once filled his garden with them in an attempt to woo Queen Elizabeth I when she visited in 1575. Sir Robert Dudley may have grown them in the grounds of Kenilworth Castle because they were her favourite fruit.
Coincidentally, or perhaps not, it was alleged that Elizabeth’s own mother Anne Boleyn had a “strawberry mark” on her neck. A common name for a small, red birth mark. Historically they were seen as a sign of a witch. Often said to be where the Devil had touched the accused with his flames, nails or tongue to seal a pact with them. This was used as evidence against Anne in the trial that led to her execution.
Basil
With fantastic fragrant leaves that are perfect for cooking, basil was a common parting gift in Tudor times. To ensure that guests travelled home safely. However there is allegedly a darker side to this plant. A leaf left under a pot could transform itself into a scorpion and putting basil on an adversary’s window would curse them. This superstition stems from Crete where it was associated with death. The Romans, and Greeks before them, thought it was a plant that could cause madness and exhaustion that would only thrive if it was verbally abused whilst being sown. Even in the Victorian language of flowers it symbolised hatred.
Borage
Borage, like thyme, was also a plant that gave courage and valour to Celtic warriors, when drunk in a tea, and Roman soldiers, who would eat the leaves. Pliny the Elder claimed it was actually the key ingredient of Homer’s mythical “nepenthe”. A mysterious medicine for curing sorrow by causing forgetfulness when mixed with wine. So all trouble and strife would vanish. Queen Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII who famously outlived him, agreed and she also used the herb in a potion to banish melancholy.
Moss
Clumps or mats of green tufts are often seen covering damp ground, old walls and rotten logs. There is moss to be found almost everywhere. From driveways to temperate rainforests. With around one thousand species calling the UK home.
According to the Brothers Grimm, such holes, heaths, woodlands and dark places are the moss people’s perfect abodes. Moss folk are described in European folklore as dwarves or beings no larger than a child. They’re also said to be a type of fairy. Elderly and hairy in some accounts but pretty in others they are always clad exclusively in moss. Often with a wicker basket of twigs on their back.
They were believed to reward human kindness and generosity with good advice or food. If they asked to borrow something and were granted permission to take it. It was thought that leaving out an offering of bread crumbs, pancakes or dried pears would appease them too.
Though there aren’t many stories from Britain that included the moss people, they are occasionally associated with fables of the Wild Hunt. Which did make their way to our shores, potentially passed on by Scandinavian settlers.
This mad, spectral stampede took place at the winter solstice and was often allegedly led by Odin, or Woden, in his wide brimmed hat. The one eyed god of knowledge and warfare from Norse mythology.
The Vikings themselves used moss in many ways when they came to live in England, Ireland and Scotland. On the roof to insulate their homes, as an ingredient for clothes dye and, most importantly, in their loo as toilet paper!
Sage
An ancient herb that has symbolised femininity for centuries salvia, like rosemary, is said to thrive in a household where a woman rules.
According to Yorkshire superstition, twelve sage leaves could be gathered at Midsummer to summon a girl’s future partner. After being placed in a saucer until midnight they should be tossed out of a window one at a time, with each stroke of a clock. This would supposedly manifest the lucky individual.
It is likely that salvia came to Britain with the Romans though “meadow clary” is a native variety. Pliny the Elder believed that it was an effective cure for snake bites. Sage could also be planted alongside Rue to keep noxious toads away from this valued addition to the garden and eating it daily in May was allegedly the secret to eternal youth.
There is an Anglo Saxon proverb that sings its praises highly, stating “why should a man die when he has sage?”. Additionally it was listed as an ingredient of “Four Thieves Vinegar”. An infamous plague cure invented by a gang of looters in France. The potion was said to protect them when they burgled the homes of the unfortunate victims of this disease.
Delphinum
Symbolising flights of fancy or levity and lightness it is easy to see why when delphiniums are in bloom. With their proud, flamboyant steeples full of flowers. The genus name comes from the word “delphin” or dolphin. Because of a resemblance between their buds and the marine mammal. Shakespeare referred to them as “lark’s heel” and the variety “consolida regalis” or “delphinium consolida” was called this as a nod to the plant's power to consolidate (or close up) wounds.
According to Ovid, larkspur sprouted from the blood of the warrior Ajax. Who fell on his own sword in a fit of rage after the armour of Achilles was given to Odysseus instead of him, in the aftermath of the Trojan war. Perhaps that is why purple delphiniums were also associated with hautiness. Dried out and used as a protective charm against witches they were allegedly capable of dispelling ghosts and keeping away scorpions too.
It was believed that using larkspur in solstice celebrations to gaze at a Midsummer bonfire would protect your eyes from any ailment during the coming year.
