It is impossibls to exaggerate the part that plants and flowers have played in religious devotion over the centuries. For example there are over 600 flowers whose common name refers to Mary-the Madonna Lily, Marigolds, Lady's Mantle to name but three. The Christmas Rose(hellebore) and the Lenten Lily(daffodil) signify the close association between plants and the Christian year, while St John's Wort(hypericum) and Michaelmas Daisies reflect the habit of naming plants that came ito flower on or around saint's days. This fascinating book-a religious equivalent of Richard Mabey's classic 'Flora Britannica' is packed with the stories of hundreds of plants and flowers and their Christian associations, interwoven with examples of where flower carvings, emblems and associations can be seen today.