Sacred Flowers In the religion and mythology of almost every ancient nation in the world, a garden is portrayed as the dwelling place of the gods, or the first home of the parents of mankind. In Indian literature, the gods resided in the Garden of Indra, among fruits and flowers that gave immortality. The sacred meanings given to the plants that first grew in these marvellous gardens and have since been dedicated or symbolic to the gods and prominent figures of the world's religions, have been handed down through generations. Among the flowers dedicated to the Christian saints are; St. Hilary (January 13) barren strawberry St. Blaise (February 3) teasel, for the patron saint of wool-combers (thistles were used in lieu of them in England) St. David (March 1) leek or daffodil St. George (April 23) bluebell St. Dunstan (May 19) monkshood St. Swithin (July 15) Cape marigold St. Augustine (August 28) golden rod St. Giles (September 1) St. Giles' orpine St. Crispin (October 25) fleabane starwort St. Catherine (November 25) originally sweet butter burr, now changed to love-in-a-mist; it's surrounding foliage somewhat resembles the wheel by which she met her death. St. Nicholas (December 6) nest-flowered heath. Sprigs of the plant used to be left at the end of the bed on Christmas Eve to acknowledge his generosity. The lotus is so highly venerated as a plant that it appears symbolically in architecture, paintings, and held by Egyptian mummies. The Egyptians themselves grew three species of lotus, one blue-flowered, one white, and one red. It was sacred to the Greeks as a symbol of beauty, and in Hindu tradition, a golden lotus bore the god Brahma. The lotus is used as a symbol for Buddha in both India and China, and as the emblem of paradise in Japan; in it's different incarnations, it represents the spirituality of a large area of the world. The olive is believed to have been in cultivation from it's wild form for around 5000 years. Olive groves existed in Egypt and ancient Crete, and find ings by archaelogists have established that the culture surrounding the olive was an important part in these two civilizations. The virtues of the olive tree, which provided not only a better and varied diet, but lamp-oil, bringing primitive people from darkness into light, have made it the most valued and important tree in both Roman and Christian writings. Jesus Christ spent his last night in the Garden of Gesthemane beneath an olive tree, and anointment with olive oil is symbolic to a large part of Christendom. The olive branch became a worldwide symbol of peace due to the fact that in early harvesting, many years passed between planting the seed and gathering the final fruit, and no man who did not wish for a long and peaceful life would plant an olive grove. The dove is associated with the olive as the messenger who brought back an olive branch, or leaf to Noah aboard the Ark so that he knew the flood was drawing to an end and trees could be seen above the water. A German tradition says that this leaf came from the olive tree which had sprung from the grave of Adam. The vine also shares with the fig and olive trees the symbolism of peace, and was probably the first wild plant to be cultivated. In pagan times, it was the plant of Bacchus, and statues of the god were decorated with vine leaves and grapes. The Greeks and Romans grew more than sixty varieties of vine. A vine tree is said to have grown when the angel who was ordered to drive Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden stuck his staff into the ground and wept for them. He duly presented the tree to Adam. Noah also planted a vineyard when he emerged from the Ark and settled on dry land again. Passion flower Foremost among the Christian flower symbols of the New World, it's pointed leaf was likened to the spear, the tendrils to whips, the column of the ovary to the cross, and the dark circle of threads in the center to the crown of thorns, the whole flower being seen as a dramatic symbol of the passion of Jesus Christ. If the flowers were white, it denoted piety; blue, heaven, and the three days that the flowers' lifespan consists of meant that, "so shall the Son of man be three days and nights in the heart of the earth." Resurrection flower It grows in the sands of Egypt, Arabia, and Syria. When the flowers and leaves have died and fallen, the drying branches curl inwards, forming a round ball; after the roots die, the plant is blown around by the winds before lodging in a damp spot. The ball then expands again, and deposits it's seeds, which germinate. Once watered, the dried-up looking young plants soon begin to bud. The plant was thought to be favorable to nativity, and was also called the Rose of the Madonna. It was believed to have bloomed first at Christ's birth, and then closed at the Crucifixion, before blooming once again at Easter. It's other popular name is the Rose of Jericho. Briar rose The plant which formed Christ's crown of thorns. In the early days of flower symbolism in Christianity, it stood for the blood of the martyrs; later it was dedicated to Mary, Mother of God, the 'Mystic Rose'. Lily The white lily is dedicated to Mary in most Catholic countries, and has been a symbol of purity since the twelfth century. In the earliest paintings of the Annunciation, lilies usually appear, and her husband, St. Joseph, is sometimes also pictured holding a lily. The flower was also associated with St. Catherine, who converted her pagan father to Christianity when the previously scentless madonna lily produced wonderful perfume. Iris The Christian emblem of royalty, the future king of the world, depicted as a crown of irises over the head of the Virgin Mother, in the hand of the infant Christ, or blooming outside the stable. Columbine It's petals symbolize the seven gifts of the Spirit. The wild columbine has only five petals; early artists retained the meaning by painting seven flowers on one stalk. >From the thirteenth century, the tradition grew of displaying in churches and homes at Christmas time models of the stable, crib and Holy family. Nowadays in similiar decorations, the stable is filled only with hay or straw, but great care was taken in previous years when choosing every plant that would form part of the tableau. Each was chosen for it's fragrance or symbolism. Together, they were called cradle-grasses, or Holy Hay. Legends grew around the flowers, and appropriate names were given to them. In Lincolnshire, the name given to garden mint was Sage of Bethlehem. All the mints were dedicated to Mary, in Britain, France, Germany and also in Italy, where a smaller mint, given the name of Brotherwort, was chosen. It gave off a strong scent when trodden on, and was often used in processions or on the floors of banqueting halls. The old botanical name for the wild thyme is Cunilago, Cradlewort, and it is also one of the Nativity plants. The seeds of the sow-thistle supplied the down in the crib for the baby to lay on. It was called St. Marie's seeds, and is known to grow in Bethlehem.