During the middle ages, May day celebrations, honoring new life, became associated with Mary. The May Hawthorn, which bears white blossoms in early spring became known as  Mary’s Flower of May. In earlier times “bringing in the May”, the “May” being the flowering branches of any tree in bloom on the first of May, was the custom on the first of May in England and parts of Scotland.

The faithful saw Mary’s attributes in the herbs and flowers growing around them and named many plants after her. Legends about the flowers developed as people sought to connect them with event’s in Mary’s life.

Mary was associated with this passage from the Song of Song’s (2:1)

I am the Rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.

Roses and lilies became Mary’s flowers. A legend from the second century says that when Mary’s tomb was opened to show Thomas that her body had been assumed into heaven, it was filled with these flowers. The Venerable Bede (673-735) compared Our Lady to the lily ,

. . . . the white petals signifying her bodily purity, the golden anthers the glowing light of her soul. . . .

The Madonna lily was associated with the Annunciation and lilies are often depicted in scenes of the angels visit to Mary.

Tradition tells us that the Amazon lily was the Star of Bethlehem guiding the Magi to Jesus. Other lilies were associated  with Mary. The red lily was Mary’s lily and the Martagon or turban lily was called Our Lady’s Tears. Hosta or plantain lily was the Assumption lily.

Rose legends proliferated, reaching their peak in the twelfth century. The Rosa Alba turned pink when mary blushed at the angel’s annunciation, the Christmas Rose sprang up to provide flowers for the poor shepherd girl who had no gift for the Infant Jesus, the Rose of Jericho marked the spot where the Holy Family rested during their Flight into Egypt, and the Rose Campion saved the life of a lord who prayed “Our Lady’s psalter.”

In the fourteenth century the poet Dante called Mary “the Rose, in which the divine Word became flesh. . . ” Many artists of the fifteenth century painted Mary with roses, often in a rose garden.

We can honor Mary this month by recalling the attributes of Mary called out by flowers and herbs named after her. The flowers can serve as starting points for prayer and meditation about Mary and her life.