Hands down, one of my all time favourite perennials. Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majali with it’s smooth, oval shaped green leaves, and fragrant upside down flowers that resemble white bells is simply a stunning plant.
It may not be a plant that you find in every garden these days, and I am not sure if many gardeners do grow them, but let me know if you do.
When we were children my Mom would occasionally open up her handmade [by my Dad] cedar hope chest. Inside nestled in tissue was her wedding dress, and a small bouquet of silk Lily of the Valley flowers, that she had carried on her wedding day.
When I got married, it became very important that we echoed the sentimentality of those lovely flowers and somehow get Lily of the Valley for my niece, who was my flower girl, to carry.
This was in the Okanagan, over 11 years ago, and fresh Lily of the Valley were not something florists carried until they were in season. I still remember driving all over Vernon the day before our wedding, looking for Lily of the Valley. And finally at the last florist I hit, there were a little bunch of Lily of the Valley. They were not fresh, but silk, but at that point, plastic would have been good enough for me!
Well worth the effort, but I still can’t look at pictures of Lily of the Valley without remembering that search.
I have a carefully tended clump outside my patio here, and each year I make sure to get lots of photos. My Mom still loves to see them, and they have a very special meaning to both of us.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
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Oh Jen, what a precious story!!! Flowers like scents can bring back so many memories.
ReplyDeletehow lovely,, this was beautifull
ReplyDeleteA nice memory. They are my second favorite to daisies. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x4
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Jen, lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of them and almost miss them every year because they are in the back yard and it hasn't been nice enough to sit out there. Thanks for the nudge to get out there and look.
ReplyDeleteNice story. You are correct. Not many gardeners grow them....they consider them "invasive" because they spread...that is exactly one of the things I love about them.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents had a raised brick bed in front of their house with some low spreading shrubs in it. Under the shrubs my grandfather grew Lilly of the Valley, because my grandmother Loved it so. The Lilly of the Valley completely filled in the bed under the shrubs and made a thick bed. We used to go picking them and my grandmother would make tiny bouquets. I Love everything about them....the smell, the tiny delciate flowers...so very Victorian...
Beautiful picture and thoughts. Love the making of a tradition. Love the flower too. : )
ReplyDeleteI have a small pot of Lily of the Valley. The soil is too dry to keep them in-ground. They've been blooming for several weeks now and are just about finished. I still have three sprigs here on my table and they smell divine. Love your story!!
ReplyDeleteWhat great memories and associations you have with lily of the valley. It does smell heavenly. I had quite a lot of it growing at a previous garden, but don't have any here in Washington. I have a new garden with lots of space to fill up with plants that are new to me, so I don't want to plant any aggressive spreaders till I've explored all the other plants I'm not familiar with.
ReplyDeleteA tender story, Jen... love it. My mother had a little plot filled with Lily of the Valley when I was a child. My imagination ran rampant as I gazed at those sweet blossoms. It was the perfect place for fairies to live.
ReplyDeleteLovely...and such pretty photos! Enjoy your day, sweet Jen! ♥
ReplyDeleteThis is such a nice story, Jen...I'm so glad to know this. Now I will think of you whenever my Lily of the Valley is in bloom;-) Of course, here is VA, that was quite a while ago. I didn't get many blooms on the plants this year, for some reason. Other years the blooms have been more plentiful. I had transplanted them a few yrs ago and perhaps they just need more time to mature in the newer area. They are north american Native plants, too...a real bonus;-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful story and gorgeous pics, I love it when blooms have special memories attached! And I agree, one of my fave perennials too, I must plant some more..love them!
ReplyDeleteI need to get lily of the Vally for my garden, it is a very old time plant.
ReplyDeletePatsy
What a sweet connection to you mother! I don't currently have these little beauties in my garden, but I would like to.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice that you used lily of the valley in your wedding. I love them especially their sweet scent. I have them growing all along the foundation at the front of the house and they are just about to bloom! I have to pull them out as they spread like crazy. I have even dried them. I put them in a vase with water and just leave them. When the water evaporates you can tie them in a bundle or just leave them. Enjoy! Pamela
ReplyDeleteI am getting a few vases ready for some Lily Of The Valley for this weekend....The Old School Market, here in Clayburn Village on saturday!
ReplyDeleteI never know the names of plants and rarely actually take the time to learn them to be completely honest here....but I will remember this one, even though I know it is probably called something else here in Norway and I am going to look for this lovely plant next time I am at the garden center...it really is a lovely plant, I love the leaves and the sweet bell like flowers!
ReplyDeleteHave a super weekend Jen!!
I love them ..they are so elegant..loved the photos:)
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I saw your title, I thought "One of my favourite flowers!" Not perennials...I don't use fancy words like that when discussing plants of the petal variety. *smile*
ReplyDeleteMy mom always had a little patch of these growing in the front of the house. They are so tiny and delicate, yet they pack a wollop when it comes to scent. They cost a fortune in the flower stores, unfortunately, or I would have them strategically placed in cute little vases all over my home.
Hmmm...maybe I'll treat myself to some soon.
Totally ideal for a wedding. Why didn't I think of that?!?
Blessings,
Carolynn
Treasured precious sweet moments & memories, Jen. Love your sharing them.
ReplyDeleteI could NEVAH have a garden without lily of the valley. Mother loved them ... mine are from her garden ... every spring these beauties bring her alive once again in her own garden, in my memory.
Have a beautiful holiday weekend.
TTFN ~
Marydon
One of my favorites as well. My mom had a flower bed full of them when I was growing up, but I've never had any luck growing them. :(
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought of growing lily of the valley in a pot. I'll have to try that. I can't plant much of anything around my apartment. The maintenance guys tend to spray everything with weed killer. This year it was tulips planted years ago by some trees and the largest patch of my grape hyacinths. These are the same people whose solution to bad grass is rocks or mulch...
ReplyDelete