“The Seeds of Love”

Description

The singer "sowed the seeds of love to bloom all in the spring." She asks the gardener to choose flowers for her; she does not like his offers, but chooses the rose. This in turn brings her to the willow tree

Notes

In flower symbolism, the rose stood for love and the willow for weeping. For a catalog of some of the sundry flower symbols, see the notes to "The Broken-Hearted Gardener." - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "In My Garden Grew Plenty of Thyme" (plot, lyrics)
• cf. "The Gowans Are Gay"
• cf. "The Wanton Seed" (theme)

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 11(1657), "I Sowed the Seeds of Love ("I sowed the seeds of love it was all in the spring"), J. Pitts (London), 1819-1844; also Harding B 11(3855)[many lines illegible; title damaged], "I Sow[ed the] Seeds [of love]"; Firth c.18(98), 2806 c.17(381), "Seeds of Love"

Recordings

• George Maynard, "The Seeds of Love" (on Maynard1, Voice10)

References

1. Eddy 28, "Once I Had Plenty of Thyme" (2 texts, 1 tune, both texts being mixed with "In My Garden Grew Plenty of Thyme")
2. Sharp-100E 33, "The Seeds of Love" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Kennedy 167, "The Seeds of Love" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Meredith/Anderson, pp. 162-163, "The Red Rose Top" (1 text, 1 tune, linked by the authors to this tune, although it's so short it might be part of "In My Garden Grew Plenty of Thyme")
5. Meredith/Covell/Brown, pp. 55, "The Seeds of Love" (1 fragmentary text, 1 tune, with some words similar to "The Seeds of Love" though the only surviving verse looks more like a courting song)
6. MacSeegTrav 54, "The Seeds of Love" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. DT, (THYMTH2) (RUETHYME*)
8. Roud #3
9. BI, K167