What is a Mary Garden?
Mary gardens are tended in honor of Mary, Mother of Christ. The purpose of planting such a garden is to provide a space of holy wonderment whereby one can reflect on the divine attributes of Mary by contemplating on the beauty of the flowers that symbolize her qualities. Whether strolling through in meditative repose, or sitting humbly amidst the ladybirds, a Mary garden can provide a sacred retreat. When you visit a Mary garden, you are visiting a place that was created in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When you step into a Mary garden, you step into a mystical experience of the Divine as manifested in nature. Flowers and herbs come alive with biblical meaning and, as you walk along the garden paths, stories are told in the petals, fragrance and colors of the cultivated vegetation. Whilst your eyes become filled with the beauty of the landscape, similarly your heart becomes filled with love for the Mother of God who is represented by such. History of Mary Gardens The representation
A Mary Garden is a devotional garden planned around a shrine to the Virgin Mary. This style of devotional garden is most closely associated with Catholic tradition, although people of other Christian denominations may also construct Mary Gardens. The concept of the Mary Garden is closely linked with the medieval hortus conclusus, or “closed garden.” Mary Gardens can be found in private homes and around Catholic churches, community halls, and other gathering places. The practice of making Mary Gardens appears to date back to the medieval period, when monks and nuns constructed closed garden shrines to Our Lady, as Catholics sometimes call the Virgin Mary. By tradition, a Mary Garden is in an enclosed area, referencing her purity, although when enclosed space is limited, it is certainly possible to put a Mary Garden in an open area, and sometimes boundaries by low fences or walls are used to create a partially enclosed feel. In a Mary Garden, people plant a variety of flowers, trees, and
