Alison Davies 
Floral Folklore 
The forgotten tales behind nature’s most enchanting plants

Discover the fascinating folklore behind more than 40 of nature’s most intriguing plants and learn how you can benefit from their timeless wisdom in everyday life.



Why do buttercups glow when held beneath your chin? Which blooms are sometimes called fairy phones? Why are foxgloves sometimes ominously referred to as ‘Deadman’s Bellows’? And what is the true meaning of a rose?



Humans have given meanings and stories to plants and flowers for thousands of years, whether they’re myths about Ancient Greek Gods who pecked out the eyes of anyone who dared move the sacred but thorny Peony plant, or 19th-century superstitions of how flowers could foreshadow love, life or death. After reading
Floral Folklore,
you’ll never look at a bunch of flowers the same way again!



Brought to life with
enchanting, full-color illustrations of the plants, flowers and visiting creatures, the book explains the
origins of the folklore behind each plant , and offers
a beautiful ritual to help you better connect with the teaching each plant has to offer. This is the
perfect gift for foragers, gardeners, and budding horticulturists looking to develop their knowledge of plants beyond the exterior.



From the old wives’ tale that sage thrives in the garden of a woman who rules her household (and husband!) firmly, to poppies growing in places where blood has been shed, learn the meanings and stories behind:

• Bay


• Mint


• Basil


• Lotus


• Tulips


• Orchids


• Sunflowers


• Lily of the Valley


• Nightshade


• Mulberry


• Hyacinth


• Valerian


• Parsley


• Daffodil


• Rose


• …and more!

Including common plants found all over the world, and traditional herbs and flowers used in medicines for thousands of years, this is a 
truly unique and fascinating exploration of our floral folklore heritage.

Table of Content

Introduction




Spring

Anemone

Rhododendron

Tulip

Red clover

Soloman’s Seal

Daffodil

Hyacinth

Bluebell

Peony

Cowslip

Columbine

Yellow Archangel




Summer

Sunflower

Carnation

Red Campion

Lady’s Bedstraw

Mulberry

Iris

Daisy

Flax

Lavender

Parsley

Rosemary




Autumn

Chrysanthemum

Geranium

Dahlia

Wild Marjoram

Rue

Yarrow

St John’s Wort

Nightshade

Rose

Lotus

Foxglove

Wild Phlox




Winter

Aconite

Violet

Snowdrop

Protea

Ragwort

Valerian

Bellflower

Buttercup

Pansy



Conclusion

Further reading



 

About the author

Anna Potter is the florist behind the flower shop Swallows and Damsons and author of Flower Fix (2019). Her style of arranging has a luxe and wild feel that uses containers of all sorts and moves beyond the confines of blooms in her decoration—incorporating foliage, fruit and vegetables, sea shells and most things that grow out of the ground. She is based in Sheffield and can be found online at @swallowsanddamsons on Instagram.