Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
Lately I’ve been engrossed in the Elizabeth of England Chronicles by G. Lawrence. If you’re a history buff like myself, these novels are a riveting account of the life of Elizabeth the 1st as well as her sister, Mary, both daughters of Henry VIII. Mary would later become known as “Bloody Mary” after she tortured and killed hundreds of Protestants during her short reign. The seemingly innocent nursery rhyme above actually refers to her dark side – the “garden” suggests the graves of those she murdered; the “silver bells” and “cockle shells” are code names for instruments of torture and the “maids” allude to the guillotines used in beheading. Not a pretty story, by any means.
Ironically, as a child this was one of my favorite nursery rhymes. When I recited the words I envisioned a beautiful garden of old with exotic flowers and colorful maidens in attendance. It was the fairy tale catalyst that began my love affair with gardening.
Recently I found myself thinking about this rhyme and wondering what gardens were like in the time of Elizabeth and Mary in the mid to late 1500’s. Life in those days was dependent upon the success of the harvest of wheat, oats and barley. Crops were needed for livestock as well. If it was an unusually wet year, crops would rot in the fields. If unusually hot and dry, crops would be stunted. In either event, the coming winter would be one of food shortages, sickness and even starvation.
Herb gardens were crucial in treating any and all maladies. Poor diet and lack of hygiene could soon turn a minor wound deadly. Dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, scurvy, smallpox, measles and even plague were common. Small churches and large monasteries alike had “infirmary” gardens of healing herbs at their disposal. Comfrey, known as “boneset,” could calm inflammation and help mend broken bones. Yarrow had strong antiseptic qualities and was used as a salve. Lady’s mantle helped with menstrual pain. Other widely grown medicinal herbs included sage, betony, hyssop, rue and chamomile. All were used in a variety of treatments and were the only source of “medicine” available.
Flowers were grown not only for their beauty and fragrance, but many were also part of daily meals. Sweet violets, nasturtium and borage were used in many dishes. Commonly grown garden flowers included lavender, bluebells, forget-me-not, iris, lilies, foxglove, Canterbury bells, lady’s mantle and hollyhock. Roses were used medicinally as well as made into jellies and oils. Rose hips were used for teas and vinegar, and the once familiar Apothecary’s Rose is still widely grown today.
In our modern world where much is provided for us, the once daily struggle for survival is long forgotten. We need only take a trip to the supermarket to procure all we need to make dinner; we need only visit the nearest CVS for our prescription medicines to make us well. Our herb, flower and vegetable gardens are largely ornamental rather than necessary for subsistence.
Although we are far removed from life in the 16th century, the old-fashioned plants we continue to grow in our gardens and use in our kitchens connect us to the past. They are truly living history. They remind us how close we are to those harsh earlier times and how fragile life yet remains.
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