May's flowers

As I am out of the office next week, here's a small piece on May's birth flowers in advance of May Day.

Our provincial flower, Epigaea repens, is commonly called Mayflower locally. Elsewhere in Eastern North America, it is called Trailing Arbutus.

Elsewhere in the world, Mayflower is reserved for the hawthorn shrubs and trees, representing hope and supreme happiness. The Pilgrim ship, The Mayflower, was actually named for the English Hawthorn commonly seen in hedgerows in Europe.

The Lily-of-the-Valley is actually May’s birth flower and is introduced to Maritime gardens as a spring ground cover. Inferring sweetness and humility, these shade lovers also convey a return to happiness. After the past Nova Scotian winter, it is easy to be happy as each snowbank melts! If you give Lily-of-the-Valley to a loved one, you are telling them that your life is complete, with their presence.

In Nova Scotia, we have a smaller native version, we call Wild Lily-of-the-valley,Maianthemum canadense. Colonies of its shiny green leaves may be seen in shady or partially shaded mixed forests.

Convallaria majalis, Lily-of-the-valley, photo by Martin Thomas

Crataegus sp., hawthorn, by Martin Thomas

Wild Lily of the valley, Maianthemum canadense, Martin Thomas