5 green plants with exciting myths & legends:
1. Coffee:
This is the ultimate remedy to brighten and lighten up those lethargic mornings. A favorite beverage cherished by all of us, the Ethiopians discovered the coffee plant in the Middle East. The legend states that a boy named Kaldi was minding his herd of goats, he suddenly noticed that the animals, instead of grazing, were playing.
After watching them closely, he noticed that they were eating bright red berries from a plant. Worried about the animals safety, he tried the beans and was taken aback by their strong taste and sensation. He took these berries to head of the village, who used their waking properties at early morning and evening religious services. These berries soon were loved and relished by the people. Read about 6 berries for a healthy heart for woman.
2. Jasmine:
Fragrant and beautiful Jasmine flowers were first introduced to Europe by the Duke of Tuscany in 1699. The Duke wished to be the only one who possessed these gorgeous flowers, and prohibited from any cuttings to be given away.
The Duke’s gardener was very poor and had nothing to gift his girlfriend on her birthday. Thus, he plucked a sprig of the flowering Jasmine and gifted her as an adornment. She planted the sprig in fertile soil, and it rooted. Soon the plant bloomed with exotic flowers. Buy beautiful flower seeds and flowering plants online in India.
Gardener and his beloved planted more Jasmines and sold them to wealthy and prosperous. With all the money, both got married and started a new life. It is in the memory of this woman that jasmines are used in bridal bouquets.
3. Lily:
The lily, is associated with funerals because of the famous tale of lost love and the lily flower. A brave knight in Normandy was looking for a perfect wife. He was offered hands of many beautiful maidens, but he rejected all. Being a loner, he spent hours and hours wandering in graveyards.
One day, while he was on a stroll, he saw a beautiful woman sitting on a tombstone. He immediately fell for her beauty and approached to kiss her hand. At this, she smiled and revealed that she was the woman of his dreams. Elated, the king took her to his castle, and there they spent a year happily.
As the year passed and Christmas approached they held a huge banquet and invited various knights and their ladies. The ceremony was a grand one. At the end of the feast, a minstrel with a melodious voice sang a series of songs, finishing with a song about the loveliness of heaven and life after death.
After listening to the song, the wife became pale and dropped at her place. She collapsed before the king rushed to her side. He took her in his arms, only to realize that instead of embracing his wife, he held a lily, whose petals slowly fell. Heartbroken, he flee from the castle outdoors. As he knelt in his courtyard in sorrow, snow began to fall in the form of white lily petals from the sky. Buy peace lily (Spathiphyllum Viscount) flowering plant.
4. Holly:
Holly flower is used to decorate the winter holidays since Roman times. The Romans used it as an evergreen, to brighten their homes for the Saturnalia fest. Several centuries later, Roman Christians, continued to decorate their homes with Holly for Christmas. Over time, Holly became a beacon of winter and Christmas season.
In England, it is believed that holly houses fairies and elves. They enjoy the festive carousel with humans. In other parts of Europe, Holly is believed to repel witches and evil; hence is brought indoors to protect Christmas festivities.
On the other hand, in Northumberland England, holly is used by young girls as an amulet for revealing their future husband's identity. On Halloween, Midsummer's Eve, Christmas Eve or New Year's, three holly leaves were pinned, opposite the heart, to a young girls nightgown, and three pails of water were placed in her room. She would then sleep, to be awakened by terrible wails, later by the sound of a neighing horse. Following this, her would-be spouse would enter the room. If he liked her, he would rearrange the pails. If not, he would leave the room untouched.
Read about 5 ways to decorate home.
5. Ivy:
Ivy has deep connotations in the mythology. According to a Greek legend, Bacchus had a son named Kissos, who, while playing with his father, died suddenly. Heartbroken, Bacchus tried to revive his son. Showing mercy to the sad father and dead child, Gaia, the goddess of Earth, transformed the boy into the ivy. Bacchus thereafter held sacred the ivy plant and is hence depicted wearing a crown of green Ivy leaves in Greek art.
In a romantic tale, a beautiful maiden named Iseult was betrothed to a brave knight - Tristan. When he was slain, she died too. The king, who was jealous of the love story between the two, ordered their graves to be placed apart. However, from each of the graves, an ivy vine grew, and, over time, met and joined each other.
Do you know any other myths and legends associated with plants? Let us know in the comments section below. Sharing is caring!
Happy Gardening!
Reference:
http://bhort.bh.cornell.edu/conservatory/cpage3.html
