Starting the plan… we now know we cannot avoid the unexpected twists and turns our lives have taken, but we don’t have to be completely adrift in the course we take! We can plan and focus on a new vision for where our days take us. We can decide to plant a garden and plan out our visions together. Grab your pencil, paper, and/or laptop, sit around the table and brainstorm.

I received a comment that one of our families was interested in planting a garden at their older home. Therefore, I decided that today’s theme would encompass more of a historical theme- sort of a blend of Colonial and Victorian gardens. While Colonial gardens primarily focused on the survival of the inhabitants of the home, Victorian gardens were more picturesque and elaborate to show the affluence of the owners.

Colonial gardens were pleasant, as well as functional, and pleasing to see. These gardens are traditionally located near the kitchen, in order to facilitate easy harvesting of herbs, vegetables, or flowers while preparing a meal. Colonial gardens’ main function initially was a means of survival for the family by supplying food, medicines, and household herbs. In later years, these gardens took on a more romantic look which added to the utilitarian form and function of earlier gardens. They became aesthetic, as well as useful. Still, gardens were flowers, herbs and vegetables all planted together. Herbs, as I think of them today, are known as being useful, either medicinal, culinary, household or even cosmetic.

Victorian gardens were a collection of picturesque styles, complementing the architecture of their homes as well as personal taste. They were much showier and elaborate with a greater leaning towards a more romantic style. They often had sprawling paths leading to “rooms”, formed from shrubs, plantings, and arbors. There were specific color themes and complimentary foliage to keep the gardens attractive during each of the seasons. It was during the Victorian period that herbs and flowers reached the height of symbolism when they were used to communicate messages of love and beauty, happiness and sadness, encouragement and hope. Victorians used plants to convey their thoughts and feelings with combinations of plants. Actual dictionaries were written with the precise sentiment or meaning these flowers and herbs conveyed. Tussie Mussies or nosegays, were tiny handheld floral bouquets created to send a message, much as we send greeting cards today.