Dreams on a Midsummer Night’s Eve & Fragrant Bouquets Beneath Pillows…

A Midsummer Night’s Bouquet for Beneath the Pillow â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.”

– William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act ii, Scene 1

Gathering the Ingredients for a Midsummer Night’s Dream…

Tonight is Midsummer Eve, originally a pagan holiday celebrating the Summer Solstice and fertility. In Scandinavia, it is traditional for young women to gather bouquets of flowers, (herbal blossoms of seven different species, according to some sources), and place them beneath their pillows before bedtime. According to legend, if a maiden falls asleep on Midsummer Night with blossoms tucked beneath her pillow, she will dream of her future husband…

Calendula – Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany

With these kinds of stakes in mind, I would suggest choosing your bouquet wisely. For sound sleep I would include fragrant valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and perhaps some other flowering, traditional mid-summer herbs; particularly mythical marigold (Calendula officinalis), lavender, (Lavandula dentata), bergamot, (Monarda didyama), sage, (Salvia officinalis), thyme, (Thymus), and of course a red rose, (Rosa) for passion – just be sure to cut off the thorns!

Blossoming, fragrant sage, (Salvia officinalis) â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE

Two of the herbal flowers I’ve chosen for beneath my pillow tonight: Valeriana officinalis and Rosa de Rescht â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE

Sweet Dreams Ladies…

Today is also known as St. John’s Eve. St. John is the patron saint of beekeepers! To learn more about this day in history, I recommend visiting the Writer’s Almanac June 23 page, (you will have to hit the Prev. button if you are reading this after June 23rd), with Garrison Kiellor (then click on the audio link at the top of the page).

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Article and photographs © 2010 Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

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