The old and the new

Many of you remember this little nursery rhyme when you were a child.

“Mary, Mary quite contrary.

How Does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells

Any Pretty maids sit in a row.”

Such a simple little ditty, which every youngster enjoys, yet today has generated so much contention and controversy. Like many nursery rhymes, it has acquired various historical explanations. The most Popular and accepted theory see the rhyme as connected to Mary Queen of Scots with “how does your garden grow,” referring to he reign, “silver bells” referring to cathedral bells, “cockle shells” indicating that her husband was not faithful to her, and “pretty maids all in a row,” referring to her ladies-in-waiting!

Such a simpe little ditty, generating such an array of accusations for little minds to comprehend.

The picture above is that of one of my gardens that was established to climb on a trellis to cover up a mass of toys, trucks and trailers, which otherwise would ve visible from the street. As far as I am concerned, the garden is also a subject of much contention, controversy and comprehesion. Why? Because any garden takes a lot of work — especialy the annual flowers that you plant every year and for that reason — costs a lot of money!

Perrennial flowers that come up every year do not last very long, however, a good gardener will distribute their time of blooming so there is beauty all season long. Unfortunately, I have not had much success in doing that — everthing in my gardens bloom at the same time, and then is done until next year.

For those reasons, many expert gardeners suggest very emphatically, “Don’t grow anything you can’t eat!”

When the picture above was taken, the garden was glorious. However, the flowering crab has already lost its granduer, and in a couple of days the beauty and charm of the honeysuckles on the top of the picture will be gone too.

The peonies in the middle left, the rose to the right, the coral bells in the lower left, and the azalea will also be gone soon.

When all the charm and beauty of the little garden are gone, all we can do is wait until next year, remember its prettiness and loveliness, and in the meantime, we could say to Mary Queen of Scots.

“Mary, Mary Queen of Scots.

If you believe your husband Francis II of France

Had any liking for his pretty maids all in a row,

You also did okay for yourself!

With your following marriages to

Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley of Yorkshire

James Hepburn IV Earl of Bothwell and First Earl of Orkney!”

Mary, Mary quite contrary. How does your garden grow? Such a simple little ditty that every youngster enjoyed when they were young!

The views and opinions expressed in the “The old and the new” column belong solely to the author, and not The Pilot-Independent or an organization, committee or individual.