174 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



have made her one of the most sought after of all 

 blossoms. 



The Legend of the Violet. 



" Spring's little infant " has been emblematic of 

 romance, poetry, chivalry, and love. With the 

 ancients it v^as regarded as the flov^er of honour, 

 and may be found in practically all parts of the world. 

 Several classic legends account for the origin of the 

 violet. lanthea, one of the brightest of Diana's 

 nymphs, v^as changed into a blue violet to save her 

 from the wiles of the sun god. Another legend 

 says the violet was once a young priestess of Juno's 

 temple, called lo, whom Jupiter, to protect from 

 the jealous anger of his consort, had transformed 

 into a cow. And " when she in hunger stoops in 

 tears," even as her lips meet the grass there springs 

 to her breath the first white violet. 



According to another old legend, the violets were 

 all white till one day Venus, envious of Cupid's 

 admiration of their purity and sweetness, turned 

 them blue. 



The Legend of the Veronica. 



Our little blue-eyed speedwell has a very good 

 name among the plant myths and legends, as it was 

 renowned with magic powers and healing proper- 

 ties, and given first rank among the vulnerary plants. 

 One early legend says that a shepherd noticed how 

 a stag, bitten by a wolf, first rubbed his wound 

 against an oak, and then went to a place where 

 veronica grew. Here he remained for a week, eating 

 at intervals of the plant, after which he reappeared 



