Le muguet de mai

Lily-of-the-valley is called muguet in French

{or muguet de mai if you're feeling especially poetic!}

I'm looking forward to seeing all the lily-of-the-valley bouquets

that will magically appear for sale over the next few days

chez florists, 

at the market, 

or simply on card tables set up on street corners.

You see, in France it's traditional to offer small bunches of muguet 

to those you love on May 1st, 

a holiday which is the equivalent of Labour Day in North America.

But I already knew that.

Here are some things I didn't know about lily-of-the-valley 

until I set about writing this post:

* it's highly poisonous {yikes!}

* other names for the flower include 

May bells, ladder-to-heaven & Our Lady's tears

{call me traditional but I think I prefer "lily-of-the-valley"...}

* it's the national flower of Finland

* in French folklore, it represents 13 {lucky?} years of marriage

* according to the "language of flowers", 

it signifies the return of happiness

Speaking of happiness, 

our walk in the woods near Flavigny last weekend

to pick muguet was one of my favourite Easter moments.

Heading into the forest...

There's got to be some muguet in there somewhere...

Is that the Easter Bunny?  Nope, it's FQ.

Jackpot!!

All photos taken by moi.

Nerdy flower facts via here & here.