by Kevin Burton
Today we return to the Dictionary Scoop website’s list of ten plant-related idioms, but first a diversion down a different path.
Merriam-Webster says a primrose is “any of a genus (Primula of the family Primulaceae, the primrose family) of perennial herbs with large tufted basal leaves and showy variously colored flowers
The dictionary says the primrose path is “a path of ease or pleasure and especially sensual pleasure.”
You’ll want to have this distinction in mind when choosing between the primrose path and the garden path, which in a way sounds just as nice, but isn’t.
6–To lead (someone) down the garden path
Gardens usually have a positive and pleasant connotation. But for some reason, to lead someone down the garden path means to deceive or mislead. Like many of the expressions that are orally transmitted from generation to generation, we cannot be sure of the exact origin of this one. However, there are some theories.
According to legend, this idiom has its roots in England at the beginning of the 20th century. Apparently, it had to do with men being led into the gardens to get engaged to young ladies covered by veils that hid their faces completely. In any case, one of the earliest written records of this phrase dates back to 1926 and belongs to British writer Ethel Mannin. In her text Sounding Brass, she refers to women leading men up the garden for the purposes of seduction.
7–Shrinking Violet & Wallflower
These two idioms have a similar meaning. Shrinking violet is used figuratively to describe shy and introverted individuals, while a wallflower, in its colloquial sense, is a shy or unpopular person who usually remains on the sidelines of social activities.
The expression shrinking violet was probably coined in the United States, although there is no certain theory to explain the connection between these beautiful, vibrant flowers and shy people.
One of the earliest written records is a sarcastic newspaper article from 1870 that mentions a shrinking violet businessman from Pennsylvania accused of stealing public money. Real wallflowers, on the other hand, are perennial herbs that grow on cliffsides and walls, hence the name. In this case, it is easier to see the analogy.
8–Nip it in the bud
We can tend our garden with love and dedication, but weeds can still sprout out and damage other plants and flowers. When this happens, the course of action is to get rid of these intruders as soon as possible to stop them from growing further.
In life as in gardening, when we see a problem on the horizon, it is best to address it before it becomes more serious. This is when the expression nip it in the bud comes in handy.
The bud is the early stages, the undeveloped part of a plant. If you cut it —or nip it— before it springs up, you are avoiding future troubles. In the 16th century, this phrase was used literally. Over time, it became a common idiom that we use every time we find an issue that is best to tackle at an early stage.
9–Pushing up daisies
This one has a bit of a dark meaning but, at the same time, it allows us to think about death in a slightly more pleasant and positive way. After all, a little bit of dark humor never hurts. Let’s not beat around the bush; pushing up daisies means to be dead and buried.
The origin of this idiom is not too clear, although there are records of analogies between daisies and death coined by romantic poets such as John Keats. The first written mention of this expression in its current form is from a 1917 poem by Wilfred Owen. On the other hand, we know it was a widely used metaphor during World War I.
10–To plant the seed of suspicion
You probably already know the meaning of this idiom, and the truth is that it is pretty straightforward. But since it is one of our favorites, we thought it was a good idea to bring it to the gardening table. To plant the seed of suspicion means to cause someone to have doubts —often in an indirect manner— or to introduce someone to a worrisome idea that wasn’t there before.
The origin of this expression is totally unknown and has different variables: to sow the seed of doubt, to plant a seed in one’s head, etc. Interestingly, to plant the seeds (of something) is also used to describe an action done to ensure a certain outcome in the future, especially an unfortunate one.
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