HAPPY MAY DAY!
May is the month for flora, fauna, and gardeners to revel in the arrival of spring. In Celtic lands, Maia (the Roman goddess of growth and increase for whom the month is named) originally shared the May Day holiday with the celebration of Beltane (“bright fire”), which marked the midpoint of the sun’s progress around the astrological wheel between spring equinox and summer solstice. On the eve of May Day, Beltane fires would be lit on hilltops across the land to ward off darkness and usher in spring. Gardeners are known to rise with the sun, but May Day likely saw larger crowds, inspired by its associated traditions and superstitions.
Upon rising on May Day, “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” would be spoken out loud first thing, to ensure luck or fertility for the month. Leaving a branch of hawthorn at a friend’s door was also said to bring good
fortune. To ensure beauty, luck, and fertility, May Day dew from the
leaves of lady’s mantle was used to wash the face, rejuvenate the early riser, and restore a youthful complexion. “Strewing May,” gathered at or before sunrise, would include every available flower and fragrant herb of early spring, though mayflowers (English hawthorn or trailing arbutus, our American mayflower), birch, and rowan were favorites. Medieval records note streets strewn so thickly on May Day that they could not be seen for the flowers.
Throughout history, May Day has ushered in the revelry, flirtations, and fruitfulness evoked by spring. Villagers would crown a
Queen of the May and Jack-in-the-Green, who would lead the procession through the streets and cavort around the maypole. The
maypole has lingered as a pagan fertility symbol; it divided north
and south, and revelers danced around it, tethering the seasons
together with ribbons originating from a wheel of life that historically crowned the maypole—over and under, over and under, making an artful weave. And the ever-turning wheel spins on, across the ages, in ancient churches, elementary schools, and backyard gatherings around the world.
May Day celebrations are an invitation to romp in nature; celebrate life and rebirth; plant seeds; eat spring delicacies; fashion
posies, garlands, and bouquets; and drink in emerging fragrance
and beauty after a long winter. May Day garden traditions include
making May butter with sage buds; hanging May baskets on the
doors of loved ones; eating a tansy or spring herb omelet; candying angelica and other edible flowers; and drinking May wine (with sweet woodruff).
Over time, the holiday has evolved. The day now also channels
the hope and energy of spring into a campaign for human rights and a living wage for all workers. And it’s still an opportunity to ring in spring, sow some seeds (and maybe some wild oats), and celebrate workers’ rights across the ages! We might not get to strewing the whole street with flowers, but we can remember to send a May basket of violets or heartsease to someone we love.
From my book "The Heirloom Gardener - Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World" https://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Gardener.../dp/1604699930
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