The Mary Garden

The Mary Garden, a sacred space, is adorned with various beautiful flowers, herbs, and foliage. It serves as a special place of spiritual reflection and a profound connection with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This connection, appointed to humanity by Jesus on the cross, is a source of spiritual upliftment, reminding us that we should also think of Mary as our mother, too.

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own home”. (John 19:26-27)

The Mary Garden, with its roots in the Middle Ages, has a rich historical significance. It originated in popularity in monasteries and convents, serving as a place of spiritual reflection and connection. Over time, the garden’s popularity grew, extending its sacred beauty to public and private spaces, enriching our lives with its profound history.

The first of such gardens in the United States was founded in 1932 at St. Joseph’s Church, Woods Hole, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and later, Mary’s Gardens was founded in Philadelphia in 1951.

Typically, a statue of Mary holding the infant Jesus is central to the garden. One can also incorporate statues or images of the Holy Family and the Saints. Foliage such as laurel trees, lilies of the valley, roses, lavender, marigolds, Madonna lily, columbine, violets, peonies, irises, and other plants integral to the story of Mary in the Bible are often incorporated into The Mary Garden, each with its own symbolic significance. These gardens, with their serene beauty, provide areas where one can sit, pray, reflect, give thanks, and just be still, fostering a sense of calm and contemplation that is truly unique.

The Mary Garden features poetry and stunning photography of flowers, beachscapes, and landscapes inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii and the “Way of Aloha” captured my heart when I first visited these beautiful islands many years ago. I’m very grateful that today, I enjoy Hawaii as my second home.

When first introduced to the word ALOHA, I immediately fell in love with its meaning. I discovered that ALOHA is a word used when you greet a person with “hello” or when you bid a person farewell. Additionally, ALOHA also means “with love and affection.” It’s also an attitude or way of living life. You’ve probably heard “The Spirit of Aloha” or “The Way of Aloha” — it means interacting with the natural world and all living there. Living “in the spirit” or “the way” of ALOHA is living by a specific code of ethics, including, but not limited to, love, kindness, tolerance, compassion, respect, and honor of all humanity and living things. Living “the way” also includes:

• The thoughtful and deliberate preservation of the earth and its precious resources.
• The joyful sharing of oneself with others.
• The act of being committed to the caring and the sustainability of one’s community and the planet.
• The “conscious manifestation” to live life joyfully in the present.
• Living the way God wants us to live—by the Golden Rule—” Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12)

My Inspiration for The Mary Garden Book

While in Hawaii, one of my favorite pastimes is photographing the stunning flowers, sunsets, and landscapes. As an author who writes about themes of Aloha and faith-based family values, I wanted to share some of my island photography and poems in a book.

The idea for The Mary Garden took root when I longed for a personal space for reflection, prayer, and appreciation of God’s abundant beauty. When I shared this idea with a friend, I discovered the concept of a “Mary Garden,” a tradition that originated during the Middle Ages. I felt an immediate connection to it and titled my book The Mary Garden. I hope readers feel this intimate connection and are inspired to create their own Mary Gardens, where they can bask in the goodness of God.

-Maryann

 

The Mary Garden by Maryann Ridini Spencer features poetry and stunning photography of flowers, beachscapes, and landscapes inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.