Viola spp.

Gender: Feminine
Element: Water
Planet: Venus
​

My grandmother grew tulips in many colors of the rainbow next to her wrap around porch on her farm in Greencastle, Indiana. She passed years ago, but this poem by Lisa Schroeder reminds me of her.

As a child, tulips reminded me of my grandmother and the promise of spring! The varieties are delightful from the huge Emperor tulips, classic Dutch, double tulips, fringed, flared, parrot and more. All colors from pristine white to deep black, and every color in between are available, with some having two or more colors!  Tulips planted around a home were thought to provide protection from curses and evil spirits, and bring prosperity and luck.

They originated in Central Asia and Turkey, and were associated turbans and protection. I always thought they came from the Netherlands, but they didn’t arrive there until the 17th century, and were a symbol of wealth and status. There was a period during 1636 and 1637, called the Dutch Golden Age, when the prices for exotic and rare tulip varieties skyrocketed.  One of the most expensive bulbs was compared to the price of a brownstone home in New York City. The ‘mania’ was short lived and the collapse of the bubble  had economic repercussions long after the brief period of madness.  

Many of you know I research topics for my workshops and topics using the alphabet. When I got to H as I was researching tulips, I was surprised to learn of the Hunger Winter. Tulips were used as food in attempts to stay alive, but tens of thousands died, and many suffered long term health issues for the rest of their lives. Actress Audrey Hepburn was a teenager living in the Netherlands during the winder of 1944  - 1945. She suffered from malnutrition and hardships as a result of the famine. 

The deaths during the hunger winter resulted from a variety of factors. It was a harsh and brutal winter, and the Germans requisitioned food from the Netherlands to support their war efforts, depleting the food supply for the Dutch population. Allied forces implemented a blockade to German occupied territories, and bombings and military action in the area greatly impacted transporting food. ​

Peter Barr, a Victorian era nurseryman, read Parkinson’s Paradisus in Sole, describing the varieties of daffodils and narcissus that grew in the British Isles in the 1600s. He was frustrated that they no longer existed locally and became obsessed with finding them and giving them a renaissance. 

Barr, a Scotsman, traveled through Europe in the mid 1800s, often on horseback, in search of these wildflowers.. At age seventy-two, Barr expanded his search worldwide, planning a five year trip which actually lasted for seven. He traveled to Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, islands in the  Pacific and the United States to locate and collect the daffodil bulbs. He only spoke Scottish English, so he used pictures to show the locals what he was hoping to find. He told of finding six thousand to seven thousand bulbs in certain areas, and one particularly successful quest resulted in nearly twelve thousand bulbs. All were collected, bagged and returned to  England. 

In 1890, he demonstrated the success of his travels with a four day daffodil festival, and in the years that followed, he put on annual displays of up to two million plants at his nurseries. As a result, the Gardener’s Chronicle, a British Horticulture periodical, gave him the distinguished and well deserved title of the Daffodil  King!

Barr, a modest man, credited Oscar Wilde’s love of yellow. Barr stated, “Wilde used to lecture on aesthetic colors, and to him we owe more than to anyone else the taste for yellow, to my mind the most beautiful color in nature. He took the sunflower, but that is too ‘lumpy,’ and the people soon got tired of sunflowers. Then my daffodils came, and they came to stay.” [Bendico Advertiser 1900]

I found this particularly amusing since Oscar Wilde was once arrested, and charged with gross indecency, for carrying a Yellow Book!  At the time, there were books with yellow covers that were considered scandalous and no decent person would openly carry a Yellow Book in public. But that’s a story for another time! 

It’s impossible to know if daffodils would have been completely obliterated if not for The Daffodil King’s efforts, but it is  likely they would not be as well known, revered and cherished as they are today. There is a wealth of information on Peter Barr, and if you are at all  intrigued, I highly recommend you check  out the links below. . His travel journals were my favorite, describing harrowing, and at times hilarious, adventures!  His writing style is delightful! Here’s an example! 

Are you thinking of spring? Many of us are!

​Imbolc falls on February 1st and 2nd this year. It is a word derived from the old Irish Gaelic, means "in the belly”, and specifically refers to ewes, pregnant with lambs. In a larger context, it symbolizes Mother Earth being pregnant with the promise of spring. It is about half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. 
​
Originally a pagan holiday, Imbolc later became known as St. Brigid’s Day, the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. It is also known as Candlemas Day, the day people take their candles to church to be blessed. 

Then, February 2, 2024, we will celebrate Groundhog Day, also associated with the arrival of spring, and historically associated with Imbolc, The event began as Badger Day in Germany and traveled across the ocean to eventually become affiliated with groundhogs.

THE FIRST MENTION OF THE GROUNDHOG DAY CELEBRATION

​A journal entry from February 2, 1840 by a  Welsh-American storekeeper in Pennsylvania is the earliest mention of the celebration, according to Don Yoder, author of Groundhog Day. ​

Groundhogs in the United States and Canada are also known as ground squirrels, whistle pigs, land beavers, marmots and woodchucks. European ground hogs are called hoary marmots. Hedgehogs, in addition to badgers,  were also credited with weather predictions in Europe. 

Punxsutawney Phil, acclaimed as the Weather Prophet, is the most famous of all of the groundhogs. This much maligned, innocent fellow is annually yanked out of his burrow by a rowdy crew wearing top hats who have been drinking heavily all night. If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, and if not, only two. If spring doesn’t arrive early, he alone is blamed. For many reasons, my heart goes out to Phil. 

Element: Water
Gender: Feminine
Planet - Venus

Rosmarinus officinalis
​“Dew of the Sea"

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire

Smelling  rosemary  prevents aging,” I explained to my class of 25 students, as I handed each of them an eight to 10 inch sprigs from my garden. All were over 50 years old in the Renaissance Institute lifelong learning program.  “It will also keep you alert and help you remember the information you learn in class.” It was my first session in a series, over a period of 6  weeks, of my Enhancing Your Life with Herbs, and rosemary was the ideal herb to introduce the course. 
Rosemary’s well documented and legendary gift of preventing aging is one of the virtues I wish I had found out years ago - maybe when I was eighteen! Since I’ve learned of this magical power, I breathe in deeply  when the plant is nearby.  
Many virtues have been associated with rosemary throughout the centuries. He is one of 500 herbs featured in Eber’s Papyrus, found in the Valley of Tombs near Luxor. The 20 meter long scroll, about the  size of a bowling alley, was written in 1500 B.C., though believed to have been copied from an earlier document. It documents its use as an herbal remedy. Sprigs have been found in Egyptian tombs dated from 3,000 B.C. 
Its medicinal uses have been documented in Greece and Rome since 500 B.C. The “herb of crowns”  is also reputed to improve memory and mental powers. 
Priests burned it as incense and it has been used as a disinfectant and strewing herb. The pungent fragrances covers up unpleasant odors and purifies the air. It has been credited with protecting people from the plague and having a clean fragrance that is purifying in a sick person’s room. Once valued for medicinal uses, it is now mostly used in cosmetics and cooking. 
Friendship and love have long been associated with rosemary. It has been used in love spells and is credited with encouraging faithfulness, so it is often used in friendship and wedding bouquets. Both Sir Thomas More and Shakespeare have commemorated rosemary’s association with friendship and remembrance in well known quotes.  
Rosemary  is often found at with funerals. My rosemary sympathy cards and comfort journals for people who have lost loved ones encourage people to find easement in sacred memories.

Ginger Orange Spice Tea

• I cup ginger root, chopped or sliced
• 4 cups water

Put ginger in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes

Gather additional ingredients

• I orange, juice and zest
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise 
• nutmeg, grate a pinch on top
• 1/4 cup honey (local is best, especially if you get spring fever)

Remove ginger from heat. Cool slightly. Strain liquid into a quart jar. Add orange juice and zest, honey and spices. 
Pour into mugs. Add more honey if desired and use a cinnamon stick to stir, or as a garnish. 

 Why drink ginger tea?

In addition to tasting delightful,  there are so many benefits! Here are a few!

• Heart Health - ​Ginger lowers cholesterol levels and improves circulation. 
• Anti-inflammatory - ​It has bioactive compounds that reduce inflammation and can provide relief to those suffering from arthritis.
• ​Rich in Antioxidants -​ Combats oxidative stress and protects from damage caused by free radicals.
• Aids in Digestions - Relieves indigestion, bloating and nausea associated with motions sickens, morning sickness and chemotherapy.
• Boosts Immunity - Ginger has antiviral and antibacterial properties that can strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of infections. 

Gender:    Hermaphroditic, in most cases
Element:  Water
Planet:      Moon 

Grapes were considered sacred to the Greek god Dionysus, and the Roman god Bacchus.. Both were associated with wine, and often the excessive use of it! Abundance, fertility and pleasure were also attributed to grapes, and associated with the ancient gods. 

Considered one of the oldest fruits, grapes are known to have been grown as early as 6500 B.C. in the Neolithic Era. Egyptian grapes were sun-dried and stored in tombs. In an extensive two volume set of the documentation of food in ancient Egypt, Food, the Gift of Osiris, Ramses III contributed 11,872 jars of raisins!

Grapes symbolized wealth in Greece and Rome, and homes of the wealthy and prosperous flaunted their status by displaying frescoes, mosaics and  paintings of grapes. The association continued and expanded.

You may be familiar with the Language of Flowers, used in the Victorian era (1837 - 1901).. Flowers and herbs were assigned meanings, and those who knew the them could send secret messages using bouquets. Seeing the vines and tendrils intertwine was associated with relationships, and the grape was linked to friendship and connection. 

Another positive characteristic is grapes are said to complement and encourage the growth of any other plants growing around them. ​All of these attributes, along with creating sweet dreams and making wine, make grapes one of my favorites! There are even spells to use grapes to make money! You know that if you read my newsletter!