NATIONAL FLOWERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 144, 3 June 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

NATIONAL FLOWERS.

E--cry nation seems to have a desir;to e* ( iiip itself with a symbolical plant. Most people ar.’ acquainted with the logon I of Ft. Patrick and the slmmrcek, which has given Irishmen thoir special decoration. Siotc’iwn ar.* said to owe theirs to the fact that, when a party of invading Danes were approaching the slumbering cainn in the darkness, one of them trod o-i the prick iy thistle, and announced l- : s contact with it in rather loud tones. The Scots were awakened and drove off the enemv.

Patriotic Wcl.'iiinen decorate their < nps w it!, e lee’; on the first of March, firm: an accent ntstom of contributing a leek to the common repast at :b" annua! gathering. Hngland has nlivivs been fam* d for her roses: but the adopt'on of t’c rose a-; the national symbol do«s not -e-’in to have taken jlarc till Edwa-d IV. introduced it on in's seal. The lilv of France has licen t--i cl to v.-ry cirlv times, but proowes its adoption to the Franks i t th - battle of Tolbiac. who crowned themselves with lilies after the battle. Viol, ts sere c-pc'-inllv associated with the fortune, of the Ronapart-s. In he-ithen countries certain trees -.re h-bl sa-rcl owing to th -ir suppose! ronnecti'in with th*' heathen "oils. The banian of In ’t.i is sacrei! to the Hindu bor-aus" th.- Hindu god Vishnu was said to b- hem nnd-r it. The neepul was MiV-in.! t" I.- t!:c favourite tree of Ih’fl.lh?

The national plant 'f T’pyer Eirviit i- th' lit’:;. ii. wiiiidi the sun was supposed to ■ i«e that of Lower Egynt. n tuft <>•• nanvr'is r’.-J; while the palm i-, t-.p<-:-I of Judaea. The leaf and flower of th*' ehi'VMinthi’niui” wore long .■I’M edonted "nd a—’ -till its.sl ns the scoria! embl’m * f th ■ Mikado <:f Japan, onii e fe tiv-d in honour *-f th-- g> 1 k-'i cht vwii'.l’. innm is held - rirl v.