Naming the Flowers

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3484, 30 August 1937, Page 7

Naming the Flowers

Many charming legends have helped to christen flowers. Narcissus was a beautiful youth beloved by the nymph Echo. But, as he was incapable of love. Echo died from grief. In order to punish him, the goddess Nemesis caused him to see his image reflected in a fountain. Narcissus fell in love with his own shadow, and slowly pined away until he was changed into the form of a flower. The hyacinth sprang from the blood of another handsome youth. Hyacinthus, the son of a Spartan king. While he was playing at quoits the god Zephyrus, in a fit of jealousy, caused a quoit to strike his head, killing him Instantly. Iris means "a rainbow." And, because the rainbow was supposed to unite heaven and earth, the ancient Greeks regarded Iris as the messenger of the gods.

Snowdrop, bluebell, and honeysuckle are names that explain themselves. The daisy is the “day’s eye,” but the foxglove is really the “fairy’s glove.” The origin of the tulip is in the Turkish form of “turban,” a name prompted by the resemblance between the flower and the head-dress. Thyme is derived from the Greek word meaning “incense,” and was so called because of its sweet smell. The dahlia Is a unique monument to Andrew Dahl, a distinguished botanist.