Marygold 
(GRIEF. ) 
“ She droops and mourns, 
Bedew’d, as ’twere, with tears. ’ 
George Withers. 
T HE classic name for this flower is Calendula , which some 
writers translate into the “flower of all the months;” 
a title given to it, they add, in consequence of its blossoming 
the whole year—a statement scarcely borne out by facts so far 
as England is concerned. By old English poets these plants 
are called “golds ; ” the name of the Virgin Mary was a very 
frequent addition in the middle ages to anything useful or 
beautiful, and so in course of time this flower became known 
as the marygold. In Provence they call it gauche fer (left-hand 
iron), probably from its round, brilliant disc, suggestive of a 
shield, which is worn on the left arm. 
Why so dazzling a bloom should have become the emblem 
of grief it is difficult to say, but in many lands it is regarded 
as. such. Although alone, however, the marygold expresses 
grief, by a judicious admixture with other flowers its meaning 
may be greatly varied. For instance, combined with roses it 
is symbolic of “the bitter sweets and pleasant pains of love ; ” 
whilst amongst Eastern nations a bouquet of marygolds and 
poppies signifies “ I will allay your pain.” Associated with 
cypress, the emblem of death, marygolds betoken despair. 
Linnaeus has remarked that the marygold is usually open 
from nine in the morning till three in the afternoon ; this fore¬ 
shows a continuance of dry weather : should the blossom 
remain closed, rain may be expected. This circumstance, and 
the fact of its always turning its golden face towards the giver 
of day, has caused this plant to be sometimes termed “ the 
sun follower,” and the “spouse of the sun.” 
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