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A Practical Guide to Herbs & Herb Gardening
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HERB GARDENING Herbs In History Getting Started Garden Design Planting & Propagation General Care Popular Varieties Harvesting & Storage Container Gardening  This site is brought to you by www.PlanetNatural.com |
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 Symbolism of HerbsProvided by Richters Herbs Many herbs have symbolic meaning that goes back centuries, even millennia. For example, the ancient Romans offered wreaths of bay leaves as a symbol of triumph and peace. Earlier, bay was thought to be sacred for the Greeks and to be a protector from disease, witchcraft and lightning. Rose petals, a symbol of love and victory, were lavishly strewn on the paths of wedding parties and victors of war by the Romans. In England, rosemary was called "Rose of Mary" in memory of the Virgin Mary, and in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance, pray you love, remember." The following list is from Gem Rigsby's book, Herb Seed for Thought (Spur Ridge Press, 1998). This is by no means a complete list of the symbolic meanings of each herb. The symbolism of herbs is inextricably tied to culture and religion. While some symbolic meanings of plants travelled well from culture to culture and from era to era, many probably did not. Rigsby relies heavily on biblical scripture and on ancient Greek and Roman history for these symbolic meanings. Aloe: healing, protection, grief, bitterness, affection Angelica: inspiration, magic Bay: glory, honour, reward Calendula: sacred affection, joy, remembrance, grief Chamomile: energy in adversity, patience, long life, wisdom Chives: usefulness, why do you weep? Dandelion: faithfulness, happiness Dianthus: dignity, woman's love, symbol of Mother's Day Dill: preservation, good spirits Dogwood: love undiminished by adversity, durability Elder: compassion, bad luck, zealousness Fennel: strength, worthy of praise, flattery Garlic: protection, strength, healing Grass: submission, utility, usefulness Iris: message, wisdom, faith, valor Ivy: patience, fidelity, undying love, eternal life Lavender: housewifely virtue, acknowledgement Lily of the Valley: contentment, return of happiness, let's make up Marjoram: joy happiness Mint: eternal refreshment, wisdom, virtue Mugwort: be not weary, tranquillity, happiness Mustard: faith, indifference Nasturtium: patriotism, victory in battle Pansy: happy thoughts, meditation Parsley: useful knowledge, feast, joy, victory Rose: love, victory Rosemary: remembrance, love, loyalty, fidelity Saffron: beware of success Sage: wisdom, long life, esteem immortality, esteem Sassafras: foundation, considered choices Sunflower: haughtiness, lofty, pride, pure thoughts Thyme: activity, bravery, courage, strength Violet: humility, devotion, faithfulness, forgiveness Yew: immortality, sorrow Yucca: opportunity, fidelity Zinnia: thoughts of missing friends |
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