May Gift Flower: Lilies of the Valley
/The May gift flower is Lilies of the Valley, a small, sweet-looking but poisonous plant that likes part-sun and moisture.
A friend of mine refers to Lilies of the Valley as grandma's flowers because she always came across them when she visited her father's Mother's farm.
In my garden, these small plants can get lost among the other plants in a flower bed so I plant them in their own separate spot between beds. That gives them room to expand, are protected from trampling and, when it's time to bloom mid-spring, they can stand out on their own.
In the Victorian era's "language of flowers," when messages were snuck into flower bouquets, Lilies of the Valley symbolized the return of happiness. I'm certainly happy when I see them because they mean the growing season has finally arrived!
Charlotte
