In late spring and early summer, lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) blooms in ancient woodland and floods the air with incredible scent. On arching stems, the pearl-like ivory buds open into white bells amongst the large, lush green leaves, which are the shape of hares’ ears.
This elegant native perennial is rather rare, so coming across carpets of it in the wild is a treat. Along with bluebell and wood anemone, it is an indicator of ancient woodland. Therefore, when seen in the countryside – unless it is spotted close to gardens that it may have escaped from – it is a sign that you are on the site of an old forest. Its native range encompasses most of Europe and stretches east to the Caucasus and into Russia. However, it does not reach down to the Biblical Levant, and, therefore, historians believe that the ‘lily of the valleys’ mentioned in the Song of Solomon (2:1) is likely to be a hyacinth.
In Britain, lily of the valley used to be far more widespread and popular than it is today. The only tradition that has persisted from the Middle Ages is its popularity in bridal bouquets, since it is believed to bring luck in love. The flower remained popular with Queen Elizabeth, who named it as her favourite flower in 2020; it was used in her coronation bouquet in 1953 and retained special associations ever since.
Thankfully, its use as a herb has desisted, since it is poisonous. Along with the old country name, May bells, C. majalis was known as glovewort, for its inclusion in hand salve. In the 16th century, it was also employed for headaches, speech problems, and vertigo, and the herbalist John Gerard records a rather interesting method of preparing it to treat gout: ‘The flowers of May lilies be put into stoppered glass and set in a hill of ants for one month. Therein ye shall find a liquor that appeaseth the paine and grief of gout.’ None of this, nor ingestion of any kind, is advisable, since – like foxglove – lily of the valley contains powerful cardiac glycosides.
Across the channel, lily of the valley (muguet in French) is as popular as it was in the 16th century. On 1 May, the streets of Paris are perfumed with flower sellers offering the sprigs that are traditionally given to loved ones. This custom dates back to Charles IX, who was given a posy of muguet on 1 May 1561. Today, the French buy around 60 million bunches each year. The giving of muguet is said to bestow good luck, but the flower is also sacred to the Madonna; its common names including Our Lady’s tears and ladder-to-heaven. In the churches and cathedrals of France, throughout May, people lay bouquets of white bells at her feet.
Lilies of the valley to grow
The species, C. majalis, creates gorgeous ground cover, reaching 15 to 20 centimetres in height and spreading limitlessly. If you have a spinney to carpet, it is ideal. However, in a smaller garden, there are exciting hybrids to try. For instance, ’Bordeaux’ and ‘Fortin’s Giant’ have large bells and grow to 30 centimetres or more.
The variegated varieties are smart in a contemporary garden: ‘Albostriata’ has cream-striped green leaves, and ‘Vic Pawlowski’s Gold’ produces splendid emerald leaves that are lined with yellow. ‘Hardwick Hall’ has apple leaves rimmed with gold, and ‘Fernwood’s Golden Slippers’ has glowing yellow-lime leaves. All four have the classic waxy white bells of the species. Grow them with other plants that thrive in semi-shade, such as Solomon’s seal, sweet woodruff, and ferns.
There is also a pink-flowered form of the species: C. majalis var. rosea. Some people find it abhorrent, but it can look pretty in a cottage garden, blooming amongst other flowers, such as bleeding hearts, wood anemones, and columbines.
How to grow lily of the valley
The flower’s main requirement is given away in its name: the Latin convallis means valley. With a predilection for growing on slopes, it insists upon good drainage. Despite being a woodland plant, it sulks in overly wet soil; in the wild, it thrives in the dry earth of sandy woods, chalky scrub, and even limestone pavements. Dense soil such as clay isn’t suitable. But the drainage of most soils can be improved by adding leafmould or peat-free compost. Dappled shade or semi-shade is perfect, and full sun is fine in cold regions, but dense shade can hamper growth. In the right conditions, where there isn’t any foot traffic, lily of the valley will naturalise, spreading with gusto via rhizomes underground.
The plant is usually bought in bare-root form in the autumn. Wildflower suppliers (such as Naturescape) offer bulk sales of the species and specialist nurseries (such as Avon or Edrom) sell rhizomes of the cultivars. Don gloves because the plant is poisonous. Then soak the roots in cool to tepid water for half an hour, before planting 6 to 8 centimetres deep and 20 centimetres apart, with the pips (shoots) pointing upwards. They can take a few years to perform, but flowering can be hurried up by potting the rhizomes in well-drained containers and then planting out the following spring. Alternatively, if you don’t mind paying more, you can purchase plants ready-grown in pots during spring or summer.
To encourage lily of the valley to naturalise, give it plenty of room, with no competition, and (wearing gloves) remove the scarlet berries during the first year. Every autumn, apply a generous mulch of leafmould or compost, and lift and divide clumps that have become overcrowded. Lily of the valley can take a while to establish, and it can be fussy. But when it takes hold, it is one of the hardiest, easiest ground-cover plants, producing a delightful show of May flowers that scent the air.
