Celebrating a tradition of spring gifting
Associated with spring and renewal and thought to bring good luck; Lily of the Valley flowers are gifted to loved ones on May 1st in France in a celebration known as Fête du Muguet. To capture the essence of this May Day tradition and extend it all year round – Lily of the Valley has been the inspiration behind some of our enduring pieces for the home.
Why Lily of the Valley?
Delicate and fragrant with pure white, nodding bell-shaped blooms, these spring flowers are a favourite of our founder, Carole Bamford.
“Lily of the valley has long been one of my favourite scented flowers. To me, it signifies the joy of spring and the hope it carries. I also love its associations with the French May Day celebrations and the wonderful tradition they have of offering each other lily of the valley posies as a token of affection and to wish each other good fortune.”
The Origins of a Tradition
The tradition of giving Lily of the Valley (muguet) on May 1st is known as Fête du Muguet. It is thought to date back to 1561 when King Charles IX of France was presented with a sprig of the flowers by a knight named Louis de Girard de Maisonforte who informed the King that the flowers would bring him prosperity and luck in the face of adversity. The King is thought to have enjoyed this so much, that he decided to present ladies of his court with Lily of the Valley bouquets on every May Day thereafter as a gesture of good fortune. Other men quickly followed suit, and it became a heart-felt tradition for men to offer Lily of the Valley as a token of love.
May Day Today
Today in France, May 1st is National Labour Day or Fête du Travail, and the French combine the public holiday with the cherished tradition of Fête du Muguet. Businesses are closed and Lily of the Valley bouquets are sold on pop-up stalls across the country.
Daylesford’s plant manager and buyer, Maxime Bocher is a Frenchman with fond memories of Fête du Muguet. “On the May 1st in France, children pick Lily of the Valley in their gardens and set up picnic tables in the streets in the morning to sell small bunches of the flowers for one or two euros for others to give in good spirit. For me, Fête du Muguet is about the memory of childhood and seeing the children selling the bell-shaped flowers with their sweet smell.”
Gifting and Growing
“Lily of the Valley is traditionally given as a small cut flower bouquet. It’s easy to prepare and just a few stems are cut to look pretty” Max tells us.
“You can grow a patch in the garden, planting bare roots in March and waiting for them to grow and bloom in May. Lily of the Valley like semi-shade conditions. They are a very hardy plant and don’t need a lot of looking after. After the first year the root system will establish and the plants will propagate, giving a lot of flowers” Max advises.
Shop Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley has continued to be a symbol of luck and love, as well as a symbol of spring and renewal.
Their beautiful fragrance, bright green leaves and small white flowers are instantly evocative of spring and bring a freshness to interiors.
Discover our homeware and home fragrance collections which distil the essence of Fête du Muguet here:
