perdita rose - Gardening
In addition, the first flowers Perdita had given are "flowers of winter", whereas now she gives them flowers of (mid)summer, wich, in Perdita's words, are appropriate for "men of middle age". hot lavender: herbs were classified as "hot" or "cold" in a way similar to the classification of temperaments according to the theory of humours. I consulted three annotated editions of The Winter's Tale; they confirm the meaning "nine months".
Understanding the Context
Ernest Schanzer's edition (Penguin, 1969) provides the following endnote for the first two-and-a-half lines: Polixenes has been the guest of Leontes for nine months, time enough to make it possible for him to be Perdita's father. Another endnote explains that "watery star" refers to the moon ... The Winter's Tale: Leontes and Perdita, Leontes and Hermione; to a lesser extent Leontes and Polixenes. The Tempest: After the storm, Alonso and his courtiers land on a different part of the island than Alonso's son Sebastian.
Image Gallery
Key Insights
Father-daughter relationships (Dobson & Wells, page 395): Pericles: Pericles and Marina. Cymbeline: Cymbeline and Innogen.