Seona Anderson 30/09/2024 Seona Anderson 30/09/2024

FETCHES (VETCHES)

Fetches (Vetches): Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats and peas. There is debate about which Vetch is intended (Broadbean or Garden Vetch or Tufted Vetch).

Seona Anderson 30/09/2024 Seona Anderson 30/09/2024

ANGELICA

Angelica: Look to the baked meats, good Angelica. Spare not the cost. Angelica is usually taken as the name of a kitchen worker in this scene but it also refers to a highly valued cultivated plants which was used for taste, medicine and spiritual protection.

Seona Anderson 29/09/2024 Seona Anderson 29/09/2024

TURNIP

TURNIP: I had rather be set quick i' th' earth and bowled to death with turnips. Anne finds an vegetable based rejection comparison for an unwanted suitor.

Seona Anderson 29/09/2024 Seona Anderson 29/09/2024

ALOE

Aloe appears only in the Lovers Complaint. They symbolise bitterness in contrast to love's sweetness.

Seona Anderson 28/09/2024 Seona Anderson 28/09/2024

LOVE-IN-IDLENESS

Love-In-Idleness is mentioned in 2 plays in connection with its ability to induce love. The plant is also know as Heartsease or Wild Pansy.

Seona Anderson 14/07/2024 Seona Anderson 14/07/2024

MALLOW

Shakespeare Species Mallow: Had I plantation of this isle…He’d sow ‘t with nettle seed…Or docks, or mallow. Gonzalo is mocked by his companions when he tries to talk about a new form of land management. Mallow, docks and nettles being weeds.

Seona Anderson 12/07/2024 Seona Anderson 12/07/2024

MARJORAM

Shakespeare Species Marjoram: Indeed, sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the salad. The Fool uses the sweetness and scent of Majoram to describe Helen. As well as wild Marjoram there were several cultivated variety known at the time.

Seona Anderson 23/06/2024 Seona Anderson 23/06/2024

EGLANTINE

Shakespeare Species Eglantine: the leaf of eglantine, whom not to slander, out-sweetened not thy breath. The Eglantine or Sweet Briar was a popular and fragrant wild Rose.

Seona Anderson 20/06/2024 Seona Anderson 20/06/2024

FERN

Shakespeare Species FERN: We have the receipt of fern seed: we walk invisible. There is a tradition in many parts of Europe that finding the fern seed gave you treasure or powers such as invisibility. This was often linked to Midsummer. Happy Solstice!

Seona Anderson 18/06/2024 Seona Anderson 18/06/2024

GOOSEBERRY

Shakespeare Species Gooseberry: all the other gifts appurtentant to man… are not worth a gooseberry. Falstaff, the great giver and receiver of insults often uses nature based imagery.

Seona Anderson 17/06/2024 Seona Anderson 17/06/2024

ONION

Shakespeare Species Onion: Mine eyes smell onions. I shall weep anon. Onions were widely grown as vegetables and Shakespeare refers to Onions making your eyes water on several occasions.

Seona Anderson 14/06/2024 Seona Anderson 14/06/2024

CHERRY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, CHERRY: O, how ripe in show thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow. Cherries symbolising lips is a regular image in Shakespeare’s works.

Seona Anderson 14/06/2024 Seona Anderson 14/06/2024

Fleur-de-luce

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, IRIS: have I a soul on which I’ll toss the fleur-de-luce of France. The heraldic symbol of France is based on an Iris. Introduced garden species of Iris such as Iris germanica were popular in Shakespeare’s time.

Seona Anderson 12/06/2024 Seona Anderson 12/06/2024

WILD THYME

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, WILD THYME: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows. The flower filled bank is the favourite bed of Titania, Queen of the Fairies. There are several wild Thyme species in the UK.

Seona Anderson 10/06/2024 Seona Anderson 10/06/2024

STRAWBERRY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, STRAWBERRY: the strawberry grows underneath the nettle. The Bishop of Ely compares Prince Hal with the Strawberry and Falstaff with the Nettle, a dubious guard under which to flourish.

Seona Anderson 07/06/2024 Seona Anderson 07/06/2024

FENNEL

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, FENNEL: even such delight among fresh fennel buds shall you inherit at my house tonight. Fennel was and is a popular herb & vegetable and is also used metaphorically in Shakespeare in several plays.

Seona Anderson 06/06/2024 Seona Anderson 06/06/2024

MUSKROSE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, MUSKROSE: and stick muskroses in thy sleek smooth head. Muskroses have long been cultivated for their scent and spread around the world by humans.

Seona Anderson 05/06/2024 Seona Anderson 05/06/2024

PIGNUT

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, PIGNUT: And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts. Caliban offers to show the shipwrecked sailors the wild foods of the island.

Seona Anderson 01/06/2024 Seona Anderson 01/06/2024

PEAS

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, PEAS: I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas. Peas were a fundamental foodstuff for humans and animals in Shakespeare’s world & were celebrated in art.

Seona Anderson 31/05/2024 Seona Anderson 31/05/2024

NETTLE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, NETTLE: yield stinging nettles to mine enemies. Nettles can be painful but they are also food for humans and other animals and provide a strong fiber which was highly valued.