St. Fiacre (fee-AH-kruh) was a seventh-century Irish monk, priest, and hermit who left Ireland for France in search of a life devoted to prayer, study, and service. Near Meaux, he established a hermitage where he cultivated vegetables and medicinal herbs and also maintained an oratory and a hospice for travelers and those in need. His association with the cultivation of the earth, healing herbs, and a disciplined life of service eventually led to his traditional recognition as the patron saint of gardeners.

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St. Fiacre was chosen as the namesake of St. Fiacre Lodge No. 11, the Research Lodge of the Ancient Order of Free Gardeners, because his life reflects the deeper meaning of gardening embraced by the Order. Just as the gardener patiently prepares the soil, plants good seed, removes what hinders growth, and tends the garden toward maturity, the Master Gardener is called to cultivate knowledge, character, and wisdom. St. Fiacre therefore serves as an appropriate symbol for a Lodge dedicated to studying the history, symbolism, philosophy, and esoteric tradition of Free Gardening, where the cultivation of the garden becomes a metaphor for the cultivation of the individual