] There are so many flowers and herbs mentioned, especially in Ophelia's mad speech. She says rosemary is for remembrance, pansies for thoughts, both of which make a kind of sense with what she's gone through, but what do the others mean? Is there any significance to fennel and columbines, etc?

] I do know that the meanings attributed to flowers have changed over time

I have a book with traditional flower meanings in it. It has one flower for each day of the year, plus a verse to go with the meaning, many of which are drawn from Shakespeare and his contemporaries like Jonson, etc. These meanings go back at least to early Victorian times, but I don't know if they would have changed between Shakespeare's time and then.

There's fennel for you, and columbines: there's rue

for you; and here's some for me: we may call it

herb-grace o' Sundays: O you must wear your rue with

a difference. There's a daisy:

Anyhow, in my book, columbine represents 'resolution' and fennel is for 'strength'. Daisies have several meanings, but wild daisies in particular are for 'indecision'.

My book doesn't have rue in it, but I found this online article that talks about many of its meanings and uses. It supposedly fends off witchcraft and evil and was also used to sprinkle holy water. It also is supposed to make other herbs noxious or poisonous if it is planted near them.

http://www.compostcoven.org/cnl/diane0388rue.html