Friday 3 June 2011

Gardenia folklore and flower symbolism

Thanks to everyone who identified the plant I inherited from my mother as a gardenia. It is has a beautiful, soft white flowers with a gorgeous perfume and loves its sunny spot in my porch.

Knowing that the lovely flower is a gardenia, I did a bit more research into its folklore.

Gardenias originally came from Africa, Asia and Australasia. The English name simply means "garden flower".

According to the Victorian language of flowers, to give someone a gardenia is to say: "You are lovely." Magically, they can be used as a component for spells of harmony and healing.

According to the website http://www.silverenchantment.com/: "Gardenias, because of their beautiful creamy white color and pleasant fragrance, are often worn by daughters on Mother's Day in memory of their mother if she has passed away." As my mum recently died, and then her gardenia bloomed on my birthday, I shall definitely remember that piece of folklore next Mothering Sunday.

Links and previous posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/05/my-best-birthday-present.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/05/pagan-eye-red-rose.html
http://www.silverenchantments.com/Flowers/gardenia-charm_2055.html
http://www.grandpasgeneral.com/learcanfrag.html
http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowersymbolism.htm#gardenia

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I really must find the trick to keeping these alive through Florida summers; there's really nothing like walking through a patch of gardenias in full bloom.