Mary Garden - Basilica of St. Mary

My youngest brother is engaged to be married in the Fall of this year at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, MN. We visited last year in August and attended Mass with my brother and his fiancee. My brother gave us a mini-tour of the building, which is beautiful and impressive. We didn't have time to walk around the Mary Garden, but I picked up a brochure to learn more. I would like to return in the summer and see the gardens when they are in summer bloom. These are some of the perennials that are included in the Basilica's Mary Garden... I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas!

Common Name - Marian Symbolism - Height

Lavender - Mary's Bouquet - 12"
Primrose - Our Lady's Frills - 6"
Lungwort - Mary's Milk - 12"
Thyme - Our Lady's Bedstraw - 2" ground cover
Sweet Violet - Our Lady's Modesty - 6"
Heartsease - Our Lady's Delight - 6"
Rosemary - Mary's Bouquet - 18"
Wood Anemone - Our Lady's Petticoat - 12"
Wind Anemone - Our Lady of the Snow - 15:
Lady Fern - Our Lady's Fern - 24"
Columbine - Our Lady's Purse - 12"-18"
Campanula - Our Lady's Thimble - 12"
Bleeding Heart - Our Lady's Sorrowing Heart - 12"-18"
Rue - Herb of Grace - 18"
Monkshood - Our Lady's Shoes - 36"
Foxglove Digitalis - Our Lady's Gloves - 36"
Hardy Geranium - Madonna's Pins - 30"
Nicotiania - Our Lady's Tree - 36"
Solomon's Seal - Our Lady's Signet - 30"

Above: Thyme

*Notice the herbs included in this list: Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender and Rue. I'm certain there are more herbs that have Marian Names (I'm planning to do more research and will post later). Herbs are wonderful container plants - that's a great dual purpose - honoring Mary and fresh herbs for cooking! Grandma Green Acres just brought over four herb plants - Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, & Parsley - this afternoon. I'm looking forward to planting them in a container that I'll keep on my back porch.

Above: Rosemary