Saint John’s bouquets: species composition and protection against evil in the Southern Netherlands

Blessed bouquets and wreaths, hung around homes, have functioned as protective charms for households throughout Europe. This biocultural practice seems to be widespread, although its diversity is not yet fully understood, especially in western Europe. In the Netherlands, we visited all villages where bouquets or wreaths are made and hung around the house on St. John’s Day (June 24th), posing the following questions: Which plant taxa were included in the blessed bouquets? Why were these species chosen? Why are the bouquets made? Does bouquet composition differ across villages? We interviewed 93 people and photographed 206 bouquets, identifying 184 plant taxa. The most common plants included Rosa spp., Juglans regia, Centaurea cyanus, and Hypericum spp. Motivations for making the bouquets included “tradition” and their beauty. They were mainly used for protection against lightning strikes. While there was a widespread tradition in the Netherlands of making these bouquets, the practice is now confined to a small region. Our interviews revealed that the bouquets were not only valued for their protective anti-lightning powers, but primarily for their role in preserving local cultural heritage.

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