Zone: Outer Walkway Bed

Season of Interest: Late Spring (May)

The Doctor’s Notes (Medicinal Use)

Dr. Woodward would have been intimately aware of the heart-strengthening properties of this plant. In the 1800s, it was often used as a more "civilized" alternative to Foxglove (Digitalis):

• Heart Tonic: It contains cardiac glycosides used to treat heart failure and irregular heartbeats. It was thought to strengthen the heart's action without being quite as accumulative or toxic as Digitalis.

• Brain and Nerves: In earlier folk traditions still practiced in the 19th century, a distilled water of the flowers was believed to help with memory loss and "comforting the brain."

• The "Poison" Warning: Dr. Woodward would have warned the family that all parts of the plant are highly toxic. Even the water in a vase holding these flowers can become poisonous, a fact well-known to 19th-century households with small children or pets.

The Household Assistant (Homestead Use)

For the Woodward household, the Lily of the Valley was a "luxury" plant that provided fragrance and groundcover:

• Natural Perfume: The scent is legendary. In the mid-1800s, the flowers were often gathered to create fragrant sachets for linen closets or distilled into floral waters for the vanity.

• The Shade Survivor: It thrives in the deep shade where most other flowers struggle. It was used to "green up" the dark corners of the property and under the drip-line of large trees.

• Bridal Symbolism: In the language of flowers (a Victorian obsession), Lily of the Valley represented a "return to happiness," making it a popular addition to local wedding bouquets in Franklin.

Botanist’s Corner

• Form: A low-growing, spreading perennial that grows from underground stems called "pips."

• Foliage: Features upright, pair of broad, lance-shaped leaves with a smooth, waxy texture.

• Flowers: Dainty, white bell-shaped flowers that hang from a one-sided stalk (raceme). After flowering, the plant sometimes produces small, orange-red berries (which are also highly toxic).