If you ask what kind of flowers bloom in spring, many will certainly answer: "Snowdrops and lilies of the valley!" Lily of the valley is the only one of its kind, the most delicate and graceful spring flower that blossoms in the forest.
When lilies of the valley bloom, the forest is filled with a tart, dizzying aroma. As if small pearls, snow-white flowers of lily of the valley flaunt against a background of dense, wide dark green leaves, which seem to emphasize the fragility of inflorescences.
Translated from Latin, lily of the valley has a very romantic name, which sounds like "lily of the valleys, blooming in May." The very name of the flower already contains the answer to the question “when will the lilies of the valley bloom” - this is the period from the beginning to the end of May, although sometimes the flowering lasts until mid-June.
Lily of the valley is surrounded by many legends. According to one of them, this flower is a symbol of Ostara, the rising sun. The Greeks claimed that the flowers of the lily of the valley were sweat droplets of the goddess Diana, who had dropped them during the rescue from the fauns. In ancient Russia, the lily of the valley was a symbol of unrequited love. According to legend, it grows where the sea princess Volkhova, in love with Sadko, shed her tears.
Do not forget about this flower and in fairy tales. For example, the Irish claim that when lilies of the valley bloom, fairies use their flowers as steps on stairs. They climb up them and weave a cradle of long reed leaves. And someone claims that the pearls of the lily of the valley are the scattered necklace of Snow White. His bells serve as flashlights for the dwarves and a refuge for the elves.
In England, there is a belief that nightingales begin to sing in the forest, feeling the fragrance with which the forest fills when lilies of the valley bloom.
In France, there is a tradition that dates back to the 16th century. Every year, on May 1, the French celebrate the flowering of lilies of the valley as a national holiday. They give each other bouquets of these flowers with wishes of love and hope.
Lily of the valley - together with a bear, a swan, a perch, a birch and granite, is a natural symbol of Finland.
Despite the apparent fragility, the lily of the valley is a very hardy flower and can be stored for a long time in a cut. That is why he is very loved by florists, often used for room decoration and for arranging bouquets. However, the rich aroma of a flower can play a cruel joke - it is poisonous and can cause headaches in small unventilated rooms.
Lily of the valley is capricious - he does not like the neighborhood in the flower bed with other flowers, so he crowds them out. And other flowers put with him in a vase will quickly fade, unable to withstand the discharge and aroma of the flower.
The aroma of lily of the valley is widely used in perfumes. However, this is not a natural aroma, but artificially synthesized.
In medicine, lily of the valley leaves are used, the tincture of which is an excellent choleretic agent.
Lily of the valley, a symbol of love, fidelity and purity, is so popular that it began to be "kicked out" all year round, along with hyacinths, daffodils, tulips. And if in nature it blooms only in spring, this is no longer an obstacle, because you can get a fragrant snow-white bouquet even in the winter season. Lily of the valley is grown in gardens and greenhouses; many new varieties unimaginable in their beauty are bred.
And yet, it will always remain a flower for us, warming us with its tenderness at the turn of spring and summer.
