Distant ancestors may have marveled at some of the same plants we've chosen for our gardens. Many plants symbolize life, eternity, love and hope.Some were symbols of magical powers; in early times, they may have been seen as the private realm of only a select few who could perform ritual healing.Understanding some of the symbolism might encourage you to appreciate your plant choices even more. So many plants are symbols of life — and especially eternal life — that it's hard to single out just a few.Chrysanthemums, for example, are symbolic of the harvest in America andEurope.
But in Japan, chrysanthemums are symbolic of immortality and are frequently brought to cemeteries to honor the deceased. Scandinavians once considered the mountain ash as a tree to deter evil spirits who might bother the dead. In many ancient belief systems, trees of all kinds are thought to send their roots deep into the earth, twining through the underworld and giving life again as they re-emerge through the earth's surface. Siberian peoples revered the larch as a world tree.
Trees affirm life People use plants as symbols for certain seasons. The winter solstice, a powerful season of magic and ritual from ancient times, is not only a time for Santa and gift-giving. Evergreen leaves, spruce and pine branches were brought into the home from earliest times as talismans against the dark ofthe season to help people believe the world would not continue to darken and disappear, but would remain green. We may scoff at ancient beliefs in the power of plants to ward off evil spirits or banish the darkness of winter or bring life up from inside the earth. But science knows many plants do have life-giving powers. The bark of the willow tree gave us aspirin, and quinine was obtained from the bark of the cinchona tree to treat malaria. Our own native black cohosh (Cimicufuga racemosa) served the Cherokee as a diuretic and a cure for rheumatic pains and its roots and rhizomes are used now as a treatment for menopausal symptoms.
Copyright: Poughkeepsie Journal