Halloween? Fairies? Magic? Okay....maybe there really isn't any such thing as fairies (but then again, who can really say for certain?). But there is such thing as Halloween and I think most people would agree that there is a certain magic about a tree. Have you ever gone to sit under a tree to think or read or do some creative endeavor? Trees have a way of not only drawing in our eye, but our person as well. They are a balm to the soul in a day of hectic schedules and stressful lives, and that, in and of itself, is magical.
Since our earliest days, humans have venerated the tree and many cultures believed that trees have magical powers or were home to gods and spirits. Tree worship (for those of you who love to learn a new word) is called dendrolatry, vestiges of which can still be found in many religions today. Humans have always felt a strong connection to trees...we use them for shelter, cooking, warmth, shade, medicine, and food. Even when speaking of our own ancestry, we refer to our "family tree."
Just for fun, this October, plant a tree that ancient civilizations have held in high esteem. Who knows? This might just be the year you find fairies in your garden?
Some trees that have been venerated throughout human history:
Lebanon Cedar (Tree of God): This beautiful tree has a rich and ancient history; the ancient Egyptians used its resin in their mummification process, the Phoenicians used lumber from it to build ships, palaces, homes, and temples, and the Sumerians designated Lebanese Cedar groves to be dwellings of the gods.
Oak: The Celts believed that the oak was the king of the forest and the Native Americans have a sacred oak that is over 500 years old. Oaks are valued for their immense stature and canopy. Carry an acorn in your pocket for good luck!
Maple: Swiss folklore tells us that a group of dwarfs who used to sit on the branch of a Maple tree to watch the farmers make hay. One night some mischievous boys cut through the branch, just enough to make it dangerous to sit on. When the dwarfs came to sit on the branch they fell to the ground. The people laughed at them and the dwarfs never returned to the place.
Hawthorn: The Hawthorn in ancient mythology is said to have been created from lightning and Germans used wood in funeral pyres as it was thought to assist the souls of the dead in ascension.
The Greeks and Romans saw the Hawthorn as symbol of hope and marriage, but in medieval Europe it was associated with witchcraft and considered unlucky. It was used for protection, love and marriage spells.
According to a Scottish legend the Hawthorn was a special place where Fairies met. A circle was drawn around an ancient tree by young boys who were about to plow a field. The plow was not to enter the circle in order to preserve the tree.
Hazel: According to Celtic legends the nuts of the hazel tree contained wisdom. Salmon of Knowledge is said to have eaten the 9 nuts of poetic wisdom dropped into its sacred pool, from the hazel tree growing beside it. Each nut eaten by the salmon became a spot on its skin. Druids were also said to chewed hazelnuts for wisdom. It was believed that the powers of the hazel were strongest on All Hallow's Eve (AKA Halloween).
In Europe and North America, hazel is commonly used for water-witching, the art of finding water with a forked stick.
Pine: As a symbol of royalty the pine was associated with the Greek goddess Pitthea, and also with the Dionysus/Bacchus mythology surrounding the vine and wine making, probably as a fertility symbol. Worshipers of Dionysus often carried a pine-cone-tipped wand as a fertility symbol and the image of the pine cone has also been found on ancient amulets as a symbol of fertility.
For the Romans the pine was an object of worship during the spring equinox festival of Cybele and Attis. As an evergreen tree the pine would also have symbolized immortality.
The Scots pine groves or 'shaman forests' scattered over the dry grasslands of eastern Siberia were considered sacred by the Buriats, a Mongolian people living around the southern end of Lake Baikal. These groves were to be approached and entered in silence and reverence, respectful of the gods and spirits of the wood.
Druids used to light large bonfires of Scots pine at the winter solstice to celebrate the passing of the seasons and to draw back the sun. Glades of Scots pines were also decorated with lights and shiny objects, the tree covered in stars being a representation of the Divine Light. It is easy to see how these rituals have given rise to the latter day Yule log and Christmas tree customs. A persistent theme in the folklore of Scots pine is their use as markers in the landscape. In the Highlands there is a recurrent theme that they were used to mark burial places of warriors, heroes and chieftains.
Juniper: Juniper was burned in ancient Sumeria and Babylonia as sacrifice to the gods. It was sacred to Inanna and to her later counterpart Ishtar. In Europe, Juniper branches were smoldered and carried around fields to protect livestock. The Germans believed that a goblin called Frau Wachholder, lived in Junipers. If one's property had been stolen, she could be invoked and it was said she would make thieves return the goods they had stolen.
Juniper was widely used by different Native American groups. In the language of flowers Juniper symbolizes Perfect loveliness; Succour; Protection.
Evergreens: Long used to celebrate Christmas (thanks to Martin Luther), these trees have a history that goes back to the Roman holiday, Saturnalia.
Yew: Yews are one of the oldest living plants in the world, giving them a secure place in human folklore. Locals, in Derbyshire, England, claim that Robin Hood married Maid Marian under their 1,400 year old yew tree. The ancient yew forest in Kingley Vale, West Sussex, is said to have been planted by the men of Chichester after they fought off Viking marauders in 859 AD. The yew in Llanafan Fawr churchyard in Wales is said to be over 2,000 years old, and remains of a village the same age can be seen around it.
Many myths and legends are linked to specific yew trees and places which still exist. The Ancient Yew Group, a body devoted to protecting and recording British and other yew trees, records many of these
fascinating tales..
Plus a few additional shrubs and perennials that may bring a little magic to your yard.
Laurel: The laurel was sacred to the sun god Apollo in memory of the fate of Daphne, daughter of the river god Peneus. Daphne was fleeing from Apollo, but was about to be overtaken when her father changed her into a laurel tree. In Pliny's Natural History (AD 77), it is said that laurel guards the doorways of great men's houses, and is never struck by lightning. In English folklore, it was believed that bay in the garden was thought to protect the house from lightning and keep away witches, the Devil, or (these days) bad luck.
Holly: In Celtic mythology the Holly King was said to rule over the half of the year from the summer to the winter solstice, at which time the Oak King defeated the Holly King to rule for the time until the summer solstice again. The Holly King was depicted as a powerful giant of a man covered in holly leaves and branches, and wielding a holly bush as a club. He may well have been the same archetype on which the Green Knight of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" was based, and to whose challenge Gawain rose during the Round Table's Christmas celebrations.
Pansy: The pansy is mostly associated with love, being sacred to St Valentine, and is sometimes known as 'heartsease' or 'love-in-idleness'. If used to cover the eyes of someone while asleep, the dreamer may fall in love with the first person they see. In Shakespeare's
Midsummer Night's Dream, Oberon, king of the fairies, squeezed 'heartsease' into Titania's eyes so that she fell in love with Bottom who was dressed as an ass.
Come by Oak Ridge Shrubbery to see our beautiful selection of trees. We'll be happy to make suggestions, give you planting tips, or even come out to plant them for you!
Want to learn more about tree planting? You can learn all about the planting and subsequent care of trees by attending this workshop led by Horticulture Agent and Certified Arborist, Mark Danieley. Class is free, but registration is required. Call 336-570-6740. (Repeat of 9:00 AM class)
Event Location
Agriculture Building auditorium
209 North Graham-Hopedale Road
Burlington, NC 27217
Contact
First, the proper equipment. You need sharp pruners or loppers. As long as they are sharp, most pruners or loppers will do, but the best brands are Felco, Fiskar, Bahco, and Corona.
