10/08/2026
•Lily of the Valley has had many mysterious & symbolic meanings throughout history — in Greek mythology, it was said that Apollo created the plant as a scented ground covering for his nine muses to walk on, Christian folklore claimed the flowers sprouted from the Virgin Mary’s tears as she wept at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Victorians believed it meant “the return of happiness” after the death of a loved one, and in 1561, Charles IX of France was gifted a sprig as a lucky charm, prompting the tradition of “la fête du muguet” or May Day, a yearly celebration honoring the spring equinox and the beauty of here and now. But perhaps what is most enduring is the darker side of what Lily of the Valley represents, what lies in truth, rather than just in spoken word…every part of the plant contains cardiac glycoside, convallatoxin and related compounds, all of which affect the heart in ways of digitalis. So the plant, while soft and beautiful, symbolic and pure, is highly toxic and significantly dangerous, showcasing the oftentimes delicate balance between life and death or good and evil (Victorian c.1870s 12kt yellow gold, onyx and rose cut diamond Lily of the Valley ring, currently a size 9 3/4 but sizable within reason,SOLD)•
