Folklore Pamphlets, 1921-1945

              FLOWER LORE
In this leaflet, an attempt is made to encourage a revival of the interest in the lore and legends of some of our common garden flowers. The information presented has been gathered from printed and from original sources. Of interest in flower lore is the traditional association of certain flowers with Christ, the Virgin Mary, with saints, martyrs, heroes and heroines. Other blossoming plants are identified with the activities of witches and wizards, dryads, fairies, dragons, demons and the Devil. The use of many of these old garden flowers in medi¬ cine, divination, visions and dreams is well known.
Flora was the goddess of flowers and gardens among the Romans. She was identical with Chloris among the Greeks. In Greek mythology the dryads were the nymphs of vegetation.
THE FLOWERS
Alyssum (sweet). In flower language its significance is "worth beyond beauty". A loved little plant believed to be favored by fairy folk because of its perfume.
Amaryllis. This beautiful flower is said to take its name from a rustic maid or sweetheart mentioned by Virgil. It signifies pride.
Aster. Also called starwort and Michelmas daisy. As its name indicates this plant is associated with stars and astrolo¬ gers. A star fell to earth. It was so pleased with what it saw that it would not return to the heavens and became a plant— the aster. Astraea was the daughter of Jupiter and was the goddess of justice.
Bleeding Heart. This favorite old fashioned flower is sym¬ bolic of love and of wounded hearts. It is a Christ flower. A pretty belief was that if the plant gave forth a red juice when crushed a lover's heart was true. It commemorates the stout heart of King Robert Bruce of Scotland.
Bachelor's Button (Cornflower). Bachelors formerly wore a blossom in the button hole of their coats. Young men in love carried a blossom in a pocket, young women in their apron pockets. Queen Louise of Prussia fled from Berlin at the ad¬ vance of Napoleon. She hid in a grain field and while there braided wreaths of cornflowers for her children. Emperor William thereafter adopted it as the flower of the imperial family. A Greek youth who worshipped Chloris (Flora) de¬ voted himself to gathering flowers for her altars. When he died the goddess gave his name—Kyanus—to this plant.
Canterbury Bell. This beautiful plant obtained its name from the resemblance of its bells to those once carried by pil¬ grims winding their way to Canterbury cathedral to pray at the tomb of the murdered Thomas a'Becket. The fairies were very fond of ringing sweet little chimes on the bells of this plant.
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