Wednesday, 3 January 2024

Mary, Mary?

Mary Mary  Susan, Susan, quite contrary what does will  your garden grow?  

Doesn't scan so well for sure!

Three garden company seed catalogues all arrived on the same day - just two days after Christmas


I've not yet had time to investigate the tin that stores my seeds but will soon. No doubt I'll be growing much the same as 2023.

This is the proper version of the nursery rhyme that I've altered for that first line,  known by many as

Mary, Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row

Did you know that the oldest version of the Nursery Rhyme was first published in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book of 1744. I didn't until I looked on wiki!

Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And so my garden grows

I also didn't know that Steve Roud, whose book 'The English Year' about the history of English customs, traditions and folklore, that I have on my shelves, has also catalogued many old songs to make the Roud Folksong Index. This covers about 25,000 songs in English collected from oral traditions around the world.

This nursery rhyme might be about Mary Tudor or Mary Queen of Scots but the truth is lost in history.

Back Tomorrow
Sue 

18 comments:

  1. My first seed catalogues arrived the same time too. Of course, I no longer need them as I have not sown the seeds I bought 3 years ago as my optimism was preempted by medical conditions. I'm surprised they still send them to me. You can''t beat home grown produce.

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    1. The only way to stop getting seed catalogues is to move house!

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  2. The origins of nursery rhymes are fascinating, though some are of doubtful provenance. It matters not - no-one will suffer if the truth is not known.

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    1. I'm sure I once had the Opie's book of History of Nursery Rhymes - but it must have been cleared out in one of the moves.
      Never mind - wiki has usually got an answer!

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  3. I had a catalogue this week too. I must fetch my seed tin inside and start serious planning.

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    1. Three all on one day was quite a surprise - although all our post seems to come on just a couple of days in the week now

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  4. My itch is growing and my seeds have been looked at and notes made for purchases required.

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    1. I've got some other new year jobs to do before I get sidetracked by the seed catalogues!

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  5. I always learn something new every day when I read my favourite blogs x
    Alison in Wales x

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  6. It's nice that you get so much enjoyment out of your garden, Sue - from planning, planting to harvesting. I have never been much of a gardener...

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    1. I've been growing things to eat for a very long time now but it's a new adventure every year.

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  7. My seed catalogues arrived the other day, and all went straight into the paper recycling bin. I have more than enough seeds for this year and didn't want any temptation. Luckily the bin was emptied today so there's no chance of me fishing them out. :-)

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  8. Nothing more pleasurable than looking through seed catalogues!

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  9. As soon as I read the title of your blog post I started to say that poem..... No seed catalogues here yet, it is still too early for those of us in Canada to even consider planting. I must admit I have looked at seeds online.....

    God bless.

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  10. My seed and gardening catalogs are arriving in great numbers too. I am enjoying them and picking out my next purchases.

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  11. I'm hoping - once again - to grow something or anything lol. We shall see. This might be a strange year again - going more than staying.

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  12. As a child growing up in Africa, you just accept a nursery rhyme for what it is - a nonsense poem said for fun, it was only when I moved to the UK I started finding out about the root of the rhyme and absolutely loved learning about the historical connections

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