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Flowers have long been celebrated as symbols of springtime, fertility and hope. In ancient May Day festivities, flowers were used to decorate the maypole and to adorn the head of the May Queen. In honour of May Day and its ancient origins, we’ve compiled a list of floral books which celebrate nature, romance, new growth and the coming of the summer season.
May Day has ancient origins. Originally a European festival, it marked the beginning of summer, with the first day of May being an approximate halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice.
The earliest May celebrations were recorded in Rome with the Floralia festival, held in honour of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. Similar festivals later developed in other countries, such as the May Eve feast for Saint Walpurga in Germany and Scandinavia and the Beltane festival celebrated in Gaelic spheres to mark the beginning of summer.
Many of the May Day festivals had a spiritual or religious roots and all were held in celebration of nature and the changing season.
This fairy tale romance follows the heroic exploits of Roland, a fine knight and a baron during the time of Charlemagne. The stunning cover design, with its border of golden flowers, is reflective of the story’s epic nature. Drawn from a variety of sources, the tale celebrates five centuries worth of poetry and songs. The author blends these original ideas with his own imagination to create a richly detailed story. With its romantic themes and floral cover, this is a perfect May Day read.
Filled with romance and high adventure, Lorna Doone is an exceptional tale. Set in the South West of England during the Monmouth Rebellion, it tells the story of John Ridd, a young farmer who falls in love with the beautiful Lorna Doone. Blackmore’s use of language, presentation of character, and sensitivity to nature, all bring the story to life in an alluring way. His presentation of nature’s indifference and the contrast between the beauty of the external world and difficult lives of human beings is utterly captivating.
The stunning cover of this 2021 edition of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall truly celebrates the beauty of flowers and nature. Filled with yellow and gold detail, the cover reflects the novels exploration of feminism and the liberation of nature. Though the story is often dark and disturbing, the multi-layered plot and clear feminist focus make it an intriguing read. Like Blackmore, Bronte presents a stark contrast between the beauty of nature and the often troubled lives of men. Her descriptions of the natural world serve to liberate her heroine, Helen Graham, from the constraints of a typically masculine world.
As the national flower of England, roses carry great significance. On a greater scale however, they are viewed as a symbol of love in countries the world over. In the ancient European May Day festivals, roses were often presented to loved ones in posies or May Day baskets. May often marks the beginning of the rose season but many plants continue to bloom until the Autumn. This book contains everything you need to know about roses and their varieties, including growing, propagating and showing, with information accompanied by a series of monochrome photographs.
While people often gathered May Day flowers from their gardens, garlands, posies and baskets also included a variety of wild flowers. Primroses, Oxeye Daisy and Cow Parsley are particularly beautiful May flowers. Wild Flowers is a brilliant introduction to common wild flowers of Britain. The book not only teaches readers how to identify flowers but also provides information on the biology, history, distribution and ecology of Britain’s flora. Filled with beautiful illustrations, this is the perfect book for the countryside explorer.
Traditional May Day baskets included flowers such as lilacs, primroses, peonies and violets. These baskets were given to friends and loved ones to welcome back spring and new life. You don’t have to be celebrating May Day in order to grow a beautiful flower basket. This strip guide teaches you how to grow beautiful flowers month by month in your garden. With beautiful illustrations by Jack Dunkley, it is the perfect paperback for an amateur flower grower.
Celebrate May Day with this floral-themed selection of antique books. Whether settling down with a decorative novel or hurrying outside to plant some flowers, these books will help you to revel in the beauty of nature and look forward to the summer season.
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