1727), aided in part by popular poetry selections, framed the tune in 1756 as a lament to the deaths of James IV, many of his nobles, and over 10,000 men – the titular "Flowers of the Forest" – at the Battle of Flodden Field in northern England in 1513, a significant event in the history of Scotland.
The song, written in Scots, is also known as The Floo'ers o' the Forest (are a' wede away) and describes the grief of women and children at the loss of their young men.
In 1765 the wit and socialite Alison Cockburn published her lyrics to the Flowers of the Forest beginning "I've seen the smiling of Fortune beguiling" said to have been written before her marriage in 1731 .
[3] The piece was played by Pipe Major Colour Sergeant Peter Grant of The Highlanders, Royal Regiment of Scotland at the funeral of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday, April 17, 2021 and again in tribute on Friday, September 9, 2022 by a lone piper, Pipe Sergeant Parsons of the London Scottish, at the memorial service of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
As per royal tradition, the piece was played by the mass pipes and drums of the Irish and Scots Guards, at the last stage of the state funeral procession, when the Queen's coffin was brought down the hill from Windsor Castle to the lower ward and St. George's Chapel.
[5] It was standard practice in the British and Canadian military to use this tune to mark the death of a soldier serving in Afghanistan during the official memorial service.
[9] The track 'Flowers of the Town' by the English folk band The Unthanks is based on this song but it laments the loss of young men in the First World War.
[10] In 2007, Scottish singer Isla St Clair was invited to sing Flowers of the Forest at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Flanders, Belgium to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele, in the First World War.
English folk singer June Tabor recorded Bogle's song, followed by an instrumental version of "Flowers of the Forest", on the album Ashes and Diamonds (1977).
Australian singer-songwriter Graham Dodsworth recorded a version of the song with Irish/Australian singer Claire Peters on his 1998 folk music album In Good King Arthur's Day.