Madonna lily -- Lilium candidum

Song of Solomon mentions Solomon's famous lily garden. For years, tradition said the lilies mentioned were the ones we call Madonna lilies. However, it wasn't until 1916 that botanists discovered these lilies growing wild in a mountainous location nearly inaccessible by humans. Tradition has become botanical fact. In the past, they were frequently used as Easter lilies. They have been replaced by other species today that look quite similar to the Madonna lily. Use either one to represent these lily gardens.

Cultivation: Plant in a moist, well drained soil about 3 inches below the surface. It prefers slight shade. Provide growing room, perhaps as much as 1 bulb per square foot.

Mallow -- Malva sylvestris

The "white of an egg" mentioned in Job 6:6 is actually a plant. The plant is widely grown in the Holy lands. Its leaves contain a substance used to thicken soups. It is also used in skin ointments and as a cough medicine. (You may need to substitute another species if it is not obtainable.) The flowers are purple or rose colored. The plant is rough and hairy to the touch.

Cultivation: This plant is not likely to be winter hardy below -30°F. It is a biennial that will grow in most garden soils.

Poppy -- Papaver rhoeas

I Peter 1:24 mentions the flowers of the grass. This most likely referred to poppies with blooms that only last for a day or two. Even the leaves disappear in the summer's heat.

Cultivation: This poppy needs a well-drained soil, with lots of sand. Sow the seeds as soon as the threat of frost has ended.

Resurrection plant or Rose of Jericho -- Anastatica hierochuntica

Isaiah 17:13 talks about people fleeing like a "rolling thing" before the wind. This is a perfect description of the resurrection plant, a native to the Holy Lands. It is about 6 inches tall. When the soil dries out, the roots dry up and it completely drops it flowers and foliage. The remaining stems roll about with the wind, much like the tumbleweeds of the American west.

Cultivation: The resurrection plant is a desert dweller. This plant may be hard to find but is worthwhile if you are fortunate enough to locate some seeds. It will act as an annual in short-growing seasons.. It needs a long growing season followed by drought conditions to act as a "rolling thing". The dried up plant is sometimes sold as a curiosity item in garden centers. It will unfold and develop fern-like leaves when moistened.