Good morning Middle School Families,
Normally, every year in 8th grade we plant a Mary garden in front of the school with bedding plants contributed by 6th-8th grades. The flowers are carried up to the altar at Mass and then later planted in the Mary garden. This tradition was started with the first 8th grade class and has been continued each year.
Obviously and sadly, that will not be happening this year. However, we would still like to keep the tradition alive! I will be sending you a note toward the end of the school year, giving some dates to drop off bedding plants if you would like to contribute. These dates will be in early June. My family and I will plant them and then I will put out a request for volunteers to help maintain the garden over the summer.
Christian flower symbolism originated in Biblical times. The Flowers of Our Lady came to symbolize many aspects of Mary’s life, virtues and mysteries. Each flower of the garden symbolizes something about Mary. Mary gardens have been created for hundreds of years, all over the world. There are over a hundred types of flowers that are used in these gardens. I have listed some of the flowers that we have used in the creation of our Mary garden at St. Francis, as well as their botanical names and meanings. I hope you will stop by the Mary garden often for meditation and prayer. We will be labeling the flowers so that you can recognize them in the garden. I have listed many of the flowers, not all are listed.
We already have some perennials, so would prefer annual plants. Some of the plants that do best in our garden are: alyssum, marigold, petunia, snapdragon (prefer tall), zinnia, geranium, begonia, pansy and gerbera daisy. If you can’t find these, just bring what you’d like. Please bring a 4-6 pack (or more if you’d like). Thanks for helping!
Thanks and Blessings, Mrs. Mistry
Aster Aster Sp. Michaelmas Daisy
Pansy Viola Tricolor Our Lady’s Delight
Columbine Aguilegua Vulgaris Our Lady’s Shoes
Blue Clematis Clematis viticella Virgin’s Bower
Iris Iris Blue Flag Mary’s Sword of Sorrow
Violet Viola Ororata Our Lady’s Modesty
Alyssum Aurina Saxatile Mary’s Flower
Mums Chrysanthemum Segetum All Saint’s Flower
Marigold Calendula officinalis Mary’s Gold
Petunia Petunia Hybrid Our Lady’s Praises
Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus Infant Jesus’ Shoes
Zinnia Zinia Elegans The Virgin
Tiger Flower Tigridia Pavonia Christ’s Knee
Geranium Pelargonium sp. Gentle Virgin
Begonia Begonia Tuberhybrida St. John’s Flower
Daffodil Narcissus pseudo Mary’s Star
Day Lily Hemerocallis Flava St. Joseph’s Lily
Lily of the Valley Conbvallaria Majalis Our Lady’s Tears
Rose Rosa Gen. Emblem of Mary
Vinca vine Vinca Minor The Virgin’s Flower
