Flower of the Week: the Pansy

We had this precious jar of pansies on the windowsill today, and what better opportunity than this to snap a cute photo of our flower of the week? 

Pansies are a type of violet that hold a special place in the hearts and minds of writers and storytellers; the symbology behind these little flowers knows no bounds. They were a vital ingredient in Celtic love potions, a fact which Shakespeare referenced in his master comedy A Midsummer Nights' Dream when Fairy Queen Titania awakes with pansy juice and falls in love with the first creature she sees. 

According to folklore, it was commonly believed that the petals of pansies had the power to heal a broken heart, and courting Victorian lovers often exchanged these flowers on St. Valentine's Day. One German legend says that pansies once had a wonderfully strong scent that was so enticing that people came from far away to smell them, and in the process trampled the surrounding fields. The cattle in these fields found themselves with nothing to eat, and the pansies prayed to God for help. God then took away the pansies' scent and gave the flowers great beauty instead.

Pansies stand for great charm, a gentle, loving nature, and loyal friendship.*

From The Secret Language of Flowers, by Samantha Gray.