MARIGOLD – MOTHER MARY’S GOLD

When one hears the word “Marigold” it’s virtually impossible not to think of the gorgeous golden colour that many marigolds offer us. Offering their warm sunny colours for most of the year, outlasting many other annuals, it’s a little difficult to imagine that they are actually associated with grief, jealousy and cruelty in their native land, Mexico. Still used today in a Day of the Dead ceremonies, it is the Virgin Mary that inspired the name, meaning Mary’s Gold.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, luckily this gorgeous bloom has been adopted around the world and many other symbolisms have been bestowed on them. The ancient Welsh used them to predict weather, knowing that open marigolds would bring good weather. It was also believed that keeping a pot of marigolds in a household with a tempestuous relationship would create a peaceful environment. Marigolds were even worn by witches to stop people gossiping about them or negativity coming their way.

TOUCH-ME-NOT – NEW GUINEA IMPATIENS

New Guinea Impatiens are part of the genus “impatiens”, which will come as no surprise to most, is Latin for “impatient”. The impatiently explosive discharge of seeds at the onset of the right season or when touched by passers-by is what inspired their genus name but also gave rise to another common name, touch-me-not. One can almost see an already impatient seed pod mustering everything it has within not to burst before the time is right and hence, not wanting to be touched.

New Guinea Impatiens were first collected in 1884 by Lt. Hawker in Papua, New Guinea, explaining the species name, Impatiens hawkeri. It wasn’t introduced into the US until the early 1970’s and then horticulture until 1978 though. The rest is history, as they became almost an overnight success and gardeners can still be seen fawning over their masses of blooms.

DIANTHUS – FLOWERS OF THE GODS

To mean, Flowers of the Gods, such is the reverence of the dianthus bloom. From the Greek words dios, meaning “god” and anthos, meaning “flower”, the Greek botanist, Theophrastus, cited the perfect mix in the name, dianthus. It’s a pity their odour is not quite god-like. They are members of the Caryophyllaceae (what a mouthful!) family which is derived from the Greek for “clove tree” which is what their flowers often smell like, but luckily it’s mild. They can be found growing naturally in the Mediterranean, Balkan Peninsula, and Asia Minor regions with everything from annual to biennial and perennial species.

Everyone should have heard their common names, carnations, sweet William and pinks, but did you know that the colour pink may very well also be named after dianthus? Pink, as a verb dates back to the 14th century, meaning “to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern” which would reference the frilly edges of dianthus. Another theory is that the origin of the word pink is the Dutch Pinkster or German Pfingsten for Pentecost which is when dianthus bloom.

SALVIAS SAVING GRACE

Salvias are their own saving grace hence their name being very aptly derived from “salvere”, which is Latin for “to save” or “to heal”. The plant has always been believed to have medicinal properties, from ancient Greek and Roman times, with results so compelling that even modern day trials are still being carried out today.

Pliny the Elder was a Roman scientist and historian who was evidently the first to use the name salvia. The Romans were so serious about this sacred herb they even performed a special ceremony to honour it during harvesting. In ancient Greece it was historically used for snake bites and digestive problems.

Salvia splendens, hailing from a somewhat cosmopolitan genus of around 1000 species, it is one of the most loved and respected garden variety annuals commonly found around South Africa today. It is a versatile, unfussy and floriferous addition to gardens that even a novice gardener will love. Although most commonly referred to as Red Salvias, Salvia splendens is actually available in a whole range of colours!

POPULAR PETUNIAS

Surely there’s not a living soul who has not heard of petunias at some time or another in their lives, such has been their popularity since the dawn of time, well almost. The petunias that were first discovered in the mid-1700 to early-1800’s in South America actually looked nothing like the stunners that grace our gardens today. Petunia axillaris and Petunia violacea originally had small white and purple flowers, respectively, which were luckily snatched up by breeders in both Germany and England who began the, eventually successful, search for the large colourful blooms that we can buy from our garden centres today known as Petunia x hybrida.

ALLURING ALYSSUM

Could the meaning of a name, in the language of flowers, be any more incredible than that of sweet alyssum, meaning “worth beyond beauty” or “sweetness of soul”? One would be hard pressed to match a description so daintily apt.

It’s quite a contrast then, to know that the name alyssum actually comes from the Greek word “lyssa” meaning “rage” or “madness” and the “a” meaning “against” giving it its meaning today, “without madness”. History tells us that it was used to treat rabid animal bites which makes sense of its more common name, healbite. In modern day it is obviously no longer thought to help calm angry souls or be effective in treating rabies so is not readily used in any medicinal capacity.

PRIM AND PROPER – PRIMULAS

When thinking ‘winter garden’, the vibrant palette offered to us by Primula malacoides (Fairy Primrose) and its cousin Primula acaulis (English Primrose) are among the first thoughts that come to mind. Both malacoides and acaulis belong to the Primulaceae family, originating in the northern hemisphere, and indigenous to Europe and much of Southeast Asia, but thanks to the work of breeders and the innate resilience of the plant, Primulas are now thriving across the globe.

The name Primula is derived from the feminine diminutive of the Latin word “primus”, meaning first, because they are among the first of the spring plants to flower. Don’t be fooled by their seemingly high maintenance names though, especially the Fairy, or their delicate appearance as they are tough, hardworking plants that need little attention once established. They even have a built in defence mechanism in the form of a chemical called primulin, particularly prevalent in P. abconica and malacoides which is deposited on their leaves by tiny hairs and can cause nausea and skin irritations, in more sensitive people, with direct contact. Breeders have all but eliminated this in our modern day hybrids though, so much so that very few suffer an extreme reaction, if any at all.