Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
271
The Folk-lore of Plants
·
T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
132
Flowers
have
always
held
a
prominent
place
in
wedding
ceremonies,
and
at
the
present
day
are
everywhere
extensively
used.
Indeed,
it
would
be
no
easy
task
to
exhaust
the
list
of
flowers
which
have
entered
into
the
marriage
customs
of
different
countries,
not
to
mention
the
many
bridal
emblems
of
which
they
have
been
made
symbolical.
As
far
back
as
the
time
of
Juno,
we
read,
according
to
Homer's
graphic
account,
how:--
"Glad
earth
perceives,
and
from
her
bosom
pours
Unbidden
herbs
and
voluntary
flowers:
Thick,
new-born
violets
a
soft
carpet
spread,
And
clust'ring
lotos
swelled
the
rising
bed;
And
sudden
hyacinths
the
earth
bestrow,
And
flamy
crocus
made
the
mountain
glow."
According
to
a
very
early
custom
the
Grecian
bride
was
required
to
eat
a
quince,
and
the
hawthorn
was
the
flower
which
formed
her
wreath,
which
at
the
present
day
is
still
worn
at
Greek
nuptials,
the
altar
being
decked
with
its
blossoms.
Among
the
Romans
the
hazel
held
a
significant
position,
torches
having
been
burnt
on
the
wedding
evening
to
insure
prosperity
to
the
newly-married
couple,
and
both
in
Greece
and
Rome
young
married
couples
were
crowned
with
marjoram.
At
Roman
weddings,
too,
oaken
boughs
were
carried
during
the
ceremony
as
symbols
of
fecundity;
and
the
bridal
wreath
was
of
verbena,
plucked
by
the
bride
herself.
Holly
wreaths
were
sent
as
tokens
of
congratulation,
and
wreaths
of
parsley
and
rue
were
given
under
a
belief
that
they
were
effectual
preservatives
against
evil
spirits.
In
Germany,
nowadays,
a
wreath
of
vervain
is
presented
to
the
newly-married
bride;
a
plant
which,
on
account
of
its
mystic
virtues,
was
formerly
much
used
for
love-philtres
and
charms.
The
bride
herself
wears
a
myrtle
wreath,
as
also
does
the
Jewish
maiden,
but
this
wreath
was
never
given
either
to
a
widow
or
a
divorced
woman.
Occasionally,
too,
it
is
customary
in
Germany
to
present
the
bride
and
bridegroom
with
an
almond
at
the
wedding
banquet,
and
in
the
nuptial
ceremonies
of
the
Czechs
this
plant
is
distributed
among
the
guests.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
