Just a quick horticultural aside for any Brits who confine their bay plants: I planted one 12 years ago and purposely left this "slightly tender" bush in a sheltered and shady corner of the garden. It's now about 15 feet high and growing well! It flowers regularly too, and now the top of it is exposed to the elements it's still doing well. I do, however, keep a clipped one by the front door.

One or two more meanings: poppy (consolation), parsley (festivity), wormwood (absence; - hey, shouldn't that be "absinthe"?), lavender (luck), broom (humility), ivy (fidelity), mint (purity).

Andrea