~ Fairy Flora ~
BLUEBELL | CLOVER | COWSLIP | FORGET-ME-NOT | FOXGLOVE | HAWTHORN | HAZEL HEATHER | JASMINE | PANSY | PEACH BLOSSOM | PRIMROSE | ROWAN | SILVER BIRCH TOADSTOOL | WHITE LOTUS
BLUEBELL (constancy & kindness)
Bluebells are also known as wood hyacinths, and as cuckoo's Boots, Crowtoes and Endymion. the scottish name for the plant is Deadman's Bells, for to hear the ring of a bluebell is to hear one's death knell. Fairies are summoned to their midnight revels by the ringing of these tiny flowers, which are reputed to be the most potent of all fairy flora. Beware of walking through a bluebells wood, for it is a place of concentrated fairy magic and enchantment. Legend has it that children who venture into bluebell glades will be held captive, while adults will be "pixie-led", until met by another mortal and guided out.
Because fairies do not like to be seen by humans, they disappear in the blink of an eyes, but some people believe that a four-leafed clover may prevent this and allow a mortal to see fairies in their invisible state. A four-leafed clover is famous for bringing luck and it gives a person the power to break fairy spells.
Cowslips are an invaluable fairy flower for their blossoms mark the return of spring and provide shelter from the rain. Above tufts of wrinkled oval leaves, their tall stems sway with parasol-like clusters of fragrant butter-yellow flowers. Each one painted with five tiny red dots. In England they are known as the Culver's Keys for their heads resemble a bunch of keys and these are said to hold the power to unlock the way to a fairy treasure.
FORGET-ME-NOT (Love & Remembrance)
Fairy flowers may be divided into those that belong to them and those that give protection against them. Forget-me-nots are one of the latter group and like the cowslip have the power to unlock secret treasures, often supposed to be guarded by the fairies or spirits.
Foxgloves are universally reputed to be fairy plants and it is unlucky to pick them or bring them into your home, but you will please the fairy folk if you grow the tall foxglove in your garden. The flower derives its name from the Little Folks-glove, since it is believed that the florets are worn by fairies, sometimes as bonnets, sometimes as gloves. the flower has many strange folk names. The poison in the plant causes drunkenness and frenzy. but in Irish belief, the juice of ten foxglove leaves will cure a fairy-stuck child. This juice is also an ingredient used by witches in the potion that helps them fly. The little flecks on the flowers are said to be fairies' finger prints.
Like all thorn trees, the hawthorn is a sacred meeting place for fairies. it also has a reputation for being both sacred and unlucky. Some country people in Europe still associate hawthorn flowers with the smell of the Black Death. It may be for this reason, or because of other more ancient memories, that may blossom is still considered unlucky to bring into the home. However, the hawthorn's powerful constituents have been used by herbalists for centuries as a cardiac tonic. The druids also used these properties to strengthen the body in old age and their smiths sued the wood to make the hottest fire-wood known. Many Native Americans used the fruit of the hawthorn to make a winter cake. They also used its long, sharp spines as probes, awls and fish hooks.
HAZEL (Reconciliation & Peace)
From the earliest times trees have been believed to be the homes of spirits, but some trees are more sacred than others. One of the most magical is the hazel, held by the Druids to be the tree of wisdom and knowledge, poetry and fire, beauty and fecundity. the hazel can offer protection from danger - a cap of hazel leaves and twigs ensures good luck and safety at sea, while a sprig of hazel will protect against lightening. According to ancient lore, the nuts from the hazel were dropped into the water to feed the sacred salmon of the Celts and these fish were then considered to be full of mystical knowledge. In England, the hazelnut has long been associated with fertility - a bag of nuts bestowed upon a bride will ensure a fruitful marriage!
HEATHER (Good Fortune & Solitude)
Heather thrives on wide open windy moors so it has become the symbol of solitude. Fairies who enjoy living undisturbed are said to feast on its stalks. Legend has it that a gift of white heather brings luck to both the giver and the receiver whereas red heather is said to have been colored by heathens killed by Christians. In ancient times, the Danes brewed a powerful beer made from heather. And for centuries the heather flowers have been a special beverage to be bees who create a delicious heather honey.
JASMINE (Affection & Elegance)
The jasmine is a symbol of beauty in China and a sacred plant of India and Persia - Hindus call it the Moonlight of the Grove. The white jasmine is also sometimes known as the Star of Divine Hope and is associated with the purity of the Virgin Mary in Christianity. While the white jasmine is believed to symbolize deep affection, the yellow represents grace and elegance. According to folklore, to dream of jasmine means that a romance is blossoming.
Legend has it that cupid brought color to the pansy with one of his arrows, and this flower is widely associated with love and the healing of an aching heart. The best-loved wild flowers accrue the most folk names and the pansy is definitely one of them. Bold-faced and multi-colored , they flower blithely from spring to snow-fall and are used by the fairies as a love potion.
The peach tree, also called the Tree of the Fairy Fruit, is presumed to have originated in China. Peaches are the symbol of immortality in China because the peach tree of the gods, which grew in the mythical gardens of Hsi Wang Mu was said to bloom only once in 3000 years, yielding the ripened fruits of eternal life,
PRIMROSE (Youthfulness & Promise)
Primrose make the invisible visible and to eat them is said to be a sure way to see the fairies. According to folklore, you should count the number you first see each springtime, and if there are 13 or more, you will be lucky all year. If a nosegay holds less than 13, it must be protected by violets or it is risky to take into church or even into a house. if you lay a little posy upon your doorstep, the fairies will cross your threshold as you sleep, to bless your home. In Ireland, primroses are scattered before the house door to ward off fairies, who are not supposed to be able to pass them, while in German, the primrose is said to open hidden treasure boxes. Some believe that the way to fairyland can be opened by touching a fairy rock with the proper number of primroses in a posy - but the wrong number opens the door to doom!
If a rowan tree should take root in your garden then your home and all who live there will be blessed, for the garden is under the special protection of the fairies, guarded against witchcraft and bad luck. for this reason, the tree was traditionally planted around houses and in lonely places to deter evil spirits. the Celts believed that no witches or evil spirits could cross a door over which a branch of rowan had been nailed. In some legends, the rowan has also been called the Whispering Tree because it has secrets to tell to those who will listen. The fruit and the bark of the rowan have medicinal powers - there are many old remedies made from this tree. In Scotland, fires made from rowan rood were used to protect the cattle against evil fairy spirits, and it was believed that a "bewitched" horse would always be controlled by a rowan whip.
The silver birch is an emblem of everlasting summer that prevail sin the spirit world. It is also the symbol of the festival of the first fruits known as Lammas-tide, when the goodness of mother Earth is celebrated. May day, Whitsuntide and Midsummer are also important days for wearing a sprig of birch in your button hole will work as a love charm. And in winter, the stark beauty of the birch symbolizes the serenity of nature dormant and sleeping. Folklore says that garlands of silver birch by the front door keep demons away, but the spirit of the tree can inflict madness and death.
TOADSTOOL (Magic & Temptation)
countless folk tales and songs link fairies with toadstools whose sudden appearance and rapid growth have always intrigued people - seemingly caused by some inexplicable, supernatural force. Their unearthly shapes and colors and their often hallucinogenic properties are thought to be a sure sign that they are the creation of fairies! The Fairy Ring Mushroom is the one which grows in a circular formation marking the boundary of the fairies' favorite dancing places. The enchanting timbre of the fairies' music and revelry can lure mortal passers-by inexorably into the ring for what may seem like minutes but is actually years, sometimes forever.
The white lotus was sacred in ancient Egypt, India, China and Tibet, and is still regarded as a symbol of purity in those countries. In medieval Germany, peasants believed that lotus flowers were nymphs in disguise and ladies would carry the flower in their hand to counteract the effects of love potions.
