Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is an ancient plant native to the woodlands of the Northern hemisphere where it thrives under tree cover and shade. Akin to the woodland Bleeding Hearts that are also woodland flowers, these delicate yet poisonous blooms are also heralds of Spring, having been popularized in gardens by King Charles IX of France in the 1500’s after receiving a small sprig of the white bell shaped blooms as a good luck token. This led to the French holiday on May 1st, La Fête du Muguet, a time of celebration for the renewal of Spring and during which people give each other blooms as tokens of luck and love. 

This led to the firmer establishment of Lily of the Valley in gardens, however, it already had ancient roots in the bible, appearing over 10 times, most famously in the Song of Songs. It is also considered to be the tears of Mary at the Cross and therefore is also called Our Lady’s Tears. In other tellings, they are the tears of Eve, split when having to leave the Garden of Eden. The way their delicate blooms bow to the earth does invite associations with tears, and perhaps due to this, they have been associated with sorrow and grief. As it’s historically tied to Mother Mary, this beautifully fragrant plant has been associated with Mothers ( & therefore Grandmothers ) and has been considered a plant of remembrance for them. Indeed, during my personal research, I came across many stories of people who had stories of it growing in their grandmother’s garden, or who transplanted the roots from maternal ancestral gardens to continue familial traditions of growing it. 

One of the more enchanting associations is with the fae. The small size of the blooms made for perfect tools for the small folk; it was believed they were used as cups or hats/umbrellas while the stems were ladders into magical realms. Their ‘silent’ ringing bells called on the unseen world and the supernatural beings of the woodlands. Indeed, even Apollo’s Muses were treated to the beauty of these plants, as Apollo created them as protection and a soft landing for their feet as they traversed the woods.

Used in mourning jewelry during the Victorian era as a symbol of renewal and hope, the Lily of the Valley has also been viewed as a balm for sadness and heartache. Carved in Whitby Jet or composed of seed pearls, the beautiful bells have symbolized the duality of beauty and pain, just as their nature expresses, as these plants are poisonous~ their red berries that appear after their blooms drop slow the heart rate if ingested and can be fatal to small children. Medicinally, it was used in the 16th century as a tonic for memory and clarity, stored in gold and silver vials and called Agua Aurea, or Golden Water. While it’s unlikely it helped with either, these associations underscore its memorial and funerary symbolism; memory and remembrance.

In the Victorian era’s popular The Language of Flowers Lily of the Valley represented a Return to Happiness. In this way, they represented not only good luck, protection ( due to its large leaves that provided cover for its small blooms), and love, but also a promise for a return to happier days, the promise that Spring arrives after the hardships of Winter. Just as the sun and the light returns, happiness, however fleeting, can return as well.

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