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Intro Mary Garden
Artane Mary Garden of Remembrance
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The Garden of Remembrance commemorates the souls of the
members of the Christian Brothers community and pupils, of beloved
memory, laid to rest here - the blooming plants conveying a sense
of their heavenly blossoming.
The plants likewise awaken remembrance of our own heavenly
destiny; and also of the earthly paradise we are called upon to
restore and the Peaceable Kingdom of love and justice we are to
build, as instruments of the Spirit, in the redeemed world - in
hopeful anticipation of their transformation into the New Heaven
and New Earth on the last day.
To this end we can look to the flowering plants as direct
creations of God, showing forth the divine beauty and splendor -
to be emulated everywhere in Creation and in human society as a
magnification of God's glory.
We can also call upon the rich flower and plant imagery and
symbolism from scripture, liturgy and pious tradition to quicken
remembrance of the revelation of the Trinity, and of the
redemptive life, death and resurrection of Jesus, with which we
are spiritually to unite ourselves.
In this we can behold the many flowers named in the
countrysides of Christendom as symbols of Mary's life and
mysteries, such as the "Muire" flowers of our own Gaelic rural
traditions - in remembrance and praise, and making tangible as it
were, for our emulation, Mary's fullness of divine grace, love,
sweetness, joys, sorrows and glories from her humble acceptance of
God's will and call for her immaculate human cooperation, as Holy
Mother of the Divine Word Incarnate, in the Redemption of world.
Through Mary we are to be with the Lord, who was with her.
Finally, we are called upon, ascetically, to empty ourselves
of this very remembrance of God through creatures and imagery,
that "the soul may live in perfect and pure hope in God, soaring
upward (when God grants us the favour) from images to the living
God, forgetting every creature and everything that belongs to
creatures . . . thinking of them and considering them only to the
degree necessary for the undertaking and performing of our
obligations" (St. John of the Cross).
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Continuation of Old Monastic Tradition
We are told St. Francis of Assisi loved plants so much that
he took great care not to harm even the least wayside plant since
it might bear a flower, symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
Rose of Sharon.
Our own St. Fiacre, who lived in the seventh century had a
garden near Meaux and beside it was a hospital, and an oratory
dedicated to Mary. He is the patron saint of gardeners. St. Gall,
from Ireland, who spent the last 30 years of his life in
Switzerland, had a renowned garden at his monastery near Lake
Constance.
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The area used for growing plants for the decoration of
churches and monasteries was known as a 'field of paradise' or a
'paradise.' Medieval monastery gardens had many of the plants
with names reflecting religious life and thoughts, and prominent
among them were those named in honour of Mary.
In this garden are more than 30 plants which are associated
with Our Lady, and are listed below.
This garden has been designed and also the actual planting
done by Brother Sean MacNamara, student of Irish Marian history,
botanical researcher, and former Chairman of the National Garden
Association of Ireland.
Inspired by Christian tradition in gardening, and drawing on
contemporary horticultural practice and sources, he has produced a
garden of both spiritual remembrance and horticultural excellence,
with superb attention to bloom richness and continuity. As such
it can be a prototype for burial plots and cemetary gardens
elsewhere.
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The Flowers of Our Lady
Botanical Name Common Name Religious Name
Alchemilla vulgaris Ladies Mantle Our Lady's Mantle
Allium schoenoprasum Chives Our Lady's Garlic
Aquilegia vulgaris Columbine Our Lady's Shoes
Arabis albida Rock Cress Our Lady's Cushion
Begonia fuchsioides Begonia Mary's Heart
Berberis vulgaris Barberry Our Lady's Leaf
Calendula officinalis Pot Marigold Mary's Gold
Calluna vulgaris Heather Mary's Adversary
Campanula rotundifol Harebell Our Lady's Thimble
Cerastium arvense Starry Grasswort Mary's Flower
Cheiranthus cheiri Wall Flower Mary's Flower
Chrysanthemum parth. Feverfew Mary's Flower
Clematis vitalba Virgin's Bower Our Lady's Bower
Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-Valley Mary's Tears
Cytisus scoparius Scotch Broom (Flight legend)
Dianthus plumarius Clove Pink Virgin's Pink
Erica carnea Winter Heath Mary's Help
Galanthus nivalis Snowdrops Candlemas Bells
Hosta plantaginea White Day Lily Assumption Lily
Hydrangia, var. Ave Maria Ave Maria
Hypericum, gen. St. John's Wort Mary's Sweat
Iris, gen. Iris M.Sword of Sorrow
Lilium, sp. Lily, white Annunciation Lily
Lonicera, gen. Honeysuckle Mary's Fingers
Malva sylvestris Purple Mallow Our Lady's Cheeses
Myosotis, gen. Forget-me-not Eyes of Mary
Narcissus psuedo-nar. Daffodil Mary's Star
Oxalis acetosella Wood Sorrell Our Lady's Meat
Potentilla, gen. Cinquefoil Mary's Hand of Pity
Primula eleator Primrose O. L. Candlestick
Primula polyanthus Polyanthus Our Lady's Fingers
Primula veris Cowslip Our Lady's Keys
Pulmonaria officin. Lungwort Mary's Milkdrops
Rosa, gen. Rose Mary's Rose
Rosmarinus officin. Rosemary Rose of Mary
Salix babylonica Weeping Willow (Scourging Legend)
Salvia officinalis Sage Our Lady's Shawl
Saxifraga umbrosa London Pride O.L. Needlework
Thuja occidentalis Arbor-vitae Tree of Life
Tulipa, gen. Tulip The Woman
Vinca minor Periwinkle Virgin Flower
Viola odorata Sweet Violet Mary's Humility
Viola tricolor Pansy Trinity;O.L.Delight
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Old Species and New Varieties of Our Lady's Flowers
In the garden can be seen a large and varied selection of
plants, and there are always some in bloom.
On the 13th of April '91 the two rose beds were planted: in one
the variety called 'Korresia' which is a superb floribunda
having large fragrant flowers; in the other bed, the variety
'Drummer Boy'.
On the 3rd of October '91 twelve Pyracantha rogersiana were
planted along the walls. This vigorous species of Firethorn
produces white flowers in June and scarlet berries during Winter.
By having a variety of Ericas it means some are in bloom
during different seasons. Apart from home grown we have Calluna
vulgaris 'white', 'Beclay Gold', 'Kinrochruel' and 'Darkness'
from Luss village on the western shore of Loch Lomond. Included
in our native grown - Erica Darleyensis 'Darley Dale', and 'Molten
Silver', Erica carnea 'FoxHollow', 'Pink Spangles' and 'White
Glow', Erica vulgans 'Alba'.
The following herbs: Chives, common and golden Thyme, Summer
Savory, Marjoram (Pot), Sage, Rosemary and Lavender 'Hidcote',
and Munstead dwarf, have been planted.
Bulbs such as Crocus, Snowdrops, Muscari, Narcissi, Allium
and Tulips 'Apledoorn' herald the Spring.
Planting of shrubs and conifers began on April 19th, 1991.
Since then the following have been planted: Ceanothus'Southmead',
Berberis thunbergii, Hebe 'Autumn Glory', 'Carl Teschner' &
'Albicans', Cytisus praecox, Vinca minor & major, Euomymus 'Emerald
Gaity' & 'Emerald 'n Gold', Thuja 'Rheingold' & 'Aurea Nana',
Senecio greyi, Hypericum calycinum, Skimmia 'foremanii', Aucuba
japonica 'variegata', Potentilla 'longacre' & fruticosa Marian, Red
Robin, Populus variegata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salix alba
tristis, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Elwoodii', 'Boulevard', 'Snow',
'Ellwood's Gold'.
Also, Oxalis, Pansies, Violas, Campanula, Pinks, Bugle,
Echeverias, Polyanthus Primroses, Aquilegia, Saxifraga London
Pride, Hydrangea, Osteospermum, Mimulus, Astilbe, Nerine bowdenii,
Begonias, Lilium regale, Erigeron, Honeysuckle, Primula wanda,
Arabis, Cerastium, Genista, Lydia, Spirea 'Anthony Waterer'.
Clematis, Stachys lantana, Sedum spectabile, Alchemilla, Cowslips,
Primroses, Mallow, Helianthemum, 'CeriseQueen', Anaphalis
triplinerris, Iris, Tansy, Feverfew, Forget-me-not,
Wallflower,etc.
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Copyright, Mary's Gardens, 1994