Description
Convallaria majalis ‘Hardwick Hall’
This variety of Lily-of-the-Valley is for the most part the same as the species, just as vigorous with those lovely highly fragrant flowers in Spring. What distinguishes it is the neat yellow rim that lines each of the leaves; nothing flashy just a simple edge that gives it just a little sparkle.
Convallaria
Lily-of-the-Valley. One of those perennials that really needs no introduction. It is native to Britain and is particularly common on Lime rich soils, growing thick tangled mats of root in woodland situations. Each node produces two broad leaves in the middle of which nestle the stiff little spikes hung on one side with little fragrant white bells, each with a narrowed frilly opening like an old-fashioned maids bonnet. Lily-of-the-Valley is easily grown and adaptable and particularly suited to leaving alone in difficult dry situations where it will happily carpet and provide fragrant little posies each Spring.
Lily-of-the-Valley is the national flower of Finland. In flower lore it is said to stand for humility, chastity, sweetness and purity and bring luck in love. It also brings the promise of a return to happiness. Humility comes from the story that a young St John offered Lily-of-the-Valley to the Virgin Mary. The religious connection goes further. Children would bring flowers to church at Pentecost, referring to them as ladders to Heaven and counting each flower as an angel.
Convallaria comes from conval, a valley, and rica, a cloak. That is they cloth the valley, a reference to their preferring sheltered sites.
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