Did you know? In Irish mythology, carrying gold might save you from the Dullahan—the headless rider who names the dead.

Our latest blog takes you deep into the misty hills of Celtic legend, where this death-dealing specter still rides.
Learn about his origins, symbols, and how to avoid catching his gaze... if you can.

🖤 Read now: https://tasarlaromaney.wordpress.com/2025/05/17/the-bee-as-a-spirit-totem-animal-sacred-messengers-of-community-productivity-and-sweetness/
#CelticMythology #Dullahan #SpiritualFolklore #MythAndMagic #FolkloreBlog

You’ve sung it. You’ve rocked someone to sleep with it.

But have you ever stopped to think about what "Rock-a-bye Baby" really says?

🌬️ A baby in a tree...

💥 A broken branch…

💀 A chilling fall.

This isn’t just a lullaby—it’s a warning.

Read the unsettling truth behind one of the oldest nursery rhymes in my new blog.

https://tasarlaromaney.wordpress.com/2025/05/09/the-dark-meaning-behind-rock-a-bye-baby/

#DarkFolklore #CreepyNurseryRhymes #WitchTok #FolkloreBlog

Phlox Paniculata, a flower from the central and eastern United States.

In the Victorian language of flowers, phlox meant 'unanimity'.
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#Folklore #Flowers #CrookHallGardens #Phlox #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #PhloxPaniculata #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

According to legend, knights in the Middle Ages would wear two daisies to show he was the favourite of the ladies.

Dreaming of daises in the spring or summer means good luck is coming, but dream of them in autumn or winter and bad luck is coming.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the daisy meant "innocence" and "I share your sentiments".
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#Folklore #Flowers #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Daisies #Flowers #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

Red dahlia near Newcastle Civic Centre.

In Mrs L. Burke's 1867 Illustrated Language of Flowers dictionary, the dahlia meant 'instability'.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Dahlia #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Plants

Argentinian vervain, or Verbena bonariensis, is incredibly popular with butterflies!

In the Victorian language of flowers, vervain meant 'enchantment'.

This might explain why it appears in folk magic, both to ward off evil, but also to make any wish come true if its undiluted juice is used in a potion.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #HuaweiP20Pro #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Vervain #MagicalPlants #Plants

Common yarrow! Also known as Death Flower, Devil’s Nettle, Old Man's Mustard, Snake's Grass, and Woundwort.
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You could wear yarrow for protection, or carry it to attract friends. Yarrow is excellent for banishing evil.

People once thought you could hang yarrow above the marriage bed if you'd used it in a wedding decoration, and this would guarantee seven years of true love.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Yarrow #Plants

Feverfew appears in the Lacnunga, an Old English medicinal text. A healer would boil feverfew, red nettles and plantain in butter, and speak the invocation from the Lacnunga. Then they would dip a knife into the liquid. This should alleviate the stitch, an example of sympathetic magic. A stitch feels like a stabbing pain. If we soothe a stabbing implement, then we should soothe the stitch.

#FolkloreThursday #PlantLore #FabulousFolklorePodcast #folklore #FolkloreBlog #plants #feverfew

Red Clover!

Also known as beebread, cow grass, honeysuckle clover, and marl grass.

According to folklore, you should wear it over your heart on blue silk to recover from heartbreak in love.

And wear red clover before you sign any financial contracts!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #RedClover #Clover

The meadow buttercup! Children hold the flowers under their chin. If it reflects yellow, it means they like butter.

During the medieval era, beggars rubbed the sap from these flowers into their skin. It is so irritating it opened up horrible sores they hoped might win them sympathy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the buttercup meant "ingratitude" and "childishness".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #MeadowButtercup

The Iris!

They've been associated with royalty since the 5th century. According to folklore, putting a vase of irises in a space will cleanse its energy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the Iris simply meant "message".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Iris

Don't bring yellow poppies into the house because they might bring storms and headaches with them!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #PlantsOfMastodon #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #YellowFlowers #Poppies #FlowerSuperstitions

Herb bennet is also known as cloveroot, colewort, golden star, St Benedict's Herb, and wood avens.

It could be used to drive away evil spirits.

According to S. Theresa Dietz, if worn as an amulet, it could prevent attacks by dogs or venomous snakes.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #HerbBennet #WoodAvens

It's World Bee Day! Did you know that a bee landing on your hand means money is on the way? If one lands on your head, it means success will be yours!

It's also essential to speak to bees in a calm voice. And you should never swear at bees. They might take offence and leave their hive.

I have a blog post with more bee lore if you're interested - https://www.icysedgwick.com/bees-folklore/

#Bees #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #WorldBeeDay #WorldBeeDay2023 #FolkloreBlog

Clematis is also known as Leather Flower, Old Man's Beard, Pepper Vine, Traveller's Joy, and Virgin's Bower.

The ancient Greeks used 'clematis' to refer to a whole range of climbing plants.

It can symbolise artifice, ingenuity, love, and want.

According to Mrs Burke's 1856 Illustrated Language of Flowers, it means 'mental beauty'.

#Clematis #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #TravellersJoy #Plants #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography

*NEW Post*

My latest post discusses The presentations of the moon in Shropshire Folklore. I really hope you enjoy it!

https://nearlyknowledgeablehistory.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-light-in-night-presentations-of.html?m=1

#Folklore #Shropshire #Folktales #Moon #folkloreblog

The forget-me-not was once called scorpion grass because the flower heads curl over and people thought they looked like scorpion tails.

In the mid-1850s, there was a trend in Germany for planting forget-me-nots on graves.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the forget-me-not meant 'remembrance'.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #ForgetMeNots #Floriography #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers

It's St Mark's Eve! In the 17-19th centuries, people might hold a vigil in the church porch between 11 pm and 1 am to see visions of who would die that coming year pass into the church. In some traditions, they did so for 3 successive years to see the apparations [Image by me] #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Folklore #StMarksEve #FolkTraditions #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog

Greater Periwinkle, also known as Sorcerer’s Violet, Creeping Myrtle, Joy on the Ground, and Devil’s Eye. Periwinkle contains vincamine, used as a cerebral stimulant. The plant represents early recollections, memories, and sweet remembrance. One snippet of folklore suggests that gazing at periwinkle flowers would restore lost memories. #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #Periwinkle #Plants

According to folklore, daffodils were originally white, and a favoured flower of Persephone. When Hades caught her, his touch turned the blooms yellow. It’s unsurprising that the daffodil is considered the flower of the underworld and they often appear on graves. In the Victorian language of flowers, daffodils meant 'regard'.
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#FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Folklore #PlantLore #Daffodils #FlowerFolklore #LanguageOfFlowers #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Taphophile