The latest picture of the garden is above...Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
I have always wondered what this rhyme meant, have you?
Apparently....The origins are steeped in history...
The Mary alluded to in this traditional English nursery rhyme is Mary Tudor, or Bloody Mary, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Queen Mary was a staunch Catholic and the garden referred to is an allusion to graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared to continue to adhere to the Protestant faith. The silver bells and cockle shells were colloquialisms for instruments of torture. The 'maids' were a device to behead people similar to the guillotine.
http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/nursery_rhymes/mary_mary_quite_contrary.htm
Ah...nothing is ever as sweet as it sounds at first is it?...I will never think of silver bells or cockle shells quite the same....perhaps that is why my Mom used to always tell me not to be so 'contrary' when I was growing up.
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