This wintry season has me thinking about holidays, history and horticulture. It’s somewhat troubling to think about how far our national holidays have strayed from their original meanings, whether you consider the Coca-Cola symbolism of Santa sliding down a chimney or the candy colored creation of Valentine’s Day, our holidays have lost almost all their true significance. The seasonal awareness and Autumn magic of harvest festivals have devolved into a Halloween serial killer horror show. Don't get me going on the far from the Mayflower - bloat of Thanksgiving... Or get me started on Easter, either. What ‘peeps’ have to do with Christ’s resurrection is beyond me. These holidays were founded long agio in the change of seasons and fascinating and powerful beliefs in mythology, but flounder now as buying sprees from Madison Avenue and excuses to drink. But I digress.
With the misplaced meaning of our national holidays, we have also lost a large and meaningful piece of our botanical past. Within your garden and grasp lies a deeper, botanical layer of meaning and myth long forgotten, as surely as we don’t recognize the ancient Roman festival of ‘Saturnalia’, the distant Roman precursor to Christmas. It’s fascinating to consider the hidden folklore that surround plants that we see every day. In my own small way, I’ve tried to merge these hidden histories into my efforts, in theatrical gardens and in select projects in which a client will work with me to embrace the spirit of place.
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