Shakespeare's Garden ~ The Huntington in Pasadena, California

As I have said, when fall comes, I think it is my favorite season, but in spring I have the same thought ..."What could be be better than this?!"

Being in Shakespeare's Garden, I think spring won my favor. It justified every wonderful thing ever said of springtime! The delphiniums stood tall as if to welcome us, in shades of gorgeous purple and white, and the snapdragons almost glowed in sunlight. It was magic.

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows

Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,

Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight.

~ William Shakespeare

What's in a name?

That which we call a rose

By any other name

Would smell as sweet.

~from Romeo and Juliet

When daisies pied and violets blue

And lady-smocks all silver-white

And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue

Do paint the meadows with delight ...

~William Shakespeare

Love's Labours Lost; V, ii, 894ff

Yet nor the lays of birds nor the sweet smell

Of different flowers in odour and in hue

Could make me any summer's story tell,

Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew;

Nor did I wonder at the lily's white,

Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;

They were but sweet, but figures of delight,

Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.

~Sonnet 98 by William Shakespeare

Therewith fantastic garlands did she me of

crow-flowers, nettles, daisies and long purples.

~William Shakespeare

Hamlet; vii, 168f

My sister and Benjamin, reading in the garden ...

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;
pray, love, remember: and there is pansies.
That's for thoughts.

~William Shakespeare
Hamlet

Hope you are enjoying a gorgeous spring!

Blessings and light!

For an article about planting your own "Shakespeare's Garden" with plants and flowers from his writings click HERE

And for a pretty comprehensive list of Shakespeare Garden Plants, click HERE