Birth flower for May 16
Sweet William
Meaning: gallantry
A pink from the mountains of southern Europe, sweet William packs dozens of small flowers into a flat-topped head. Each petal has a finely toothed edge, often with a dark eye ring and a pale rim. Its species name barbatus means 'bearded', after the thin bracts that bristle under the flowers. Who the 'William' was is still debated; no story has been proven.