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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 27 2012 at 7:07am | IP Logged
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Funny how Mary started a thread on plants in the Liturgical Year because I was coming to ask about some ideas of appropriate seeds to plant to have for Easter.
I'm coordinating a Lenten retreat, and I hope my wheat sprouts in time to do a Grain of Wheat dying presentation, but then I would like the children to plant a seed and nurture during Lent.
I'm thinking I'll stick with wheat right now, but then wondered if there might be something that can grow in 4-5 weeks and be nice around the Easter display? Something symbolic?
How about bulb forcing? Probably not practical or economical, but just thinking out loud.
Any ideas?
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 27 2012 at 7:31am | IP Logged
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I always wish I had forced bulbs (though, this year, I'm getting outdoor bulbs already!), but I never remember in time! I think you have to start in September to have bulbs in January.
You would have to calculate anew each year when to start them in order to have them for Easter. Bulbs aren't cheap, though, and the savings of doing your own wouldn't be significant unless you were doing a lot given how readily available potted tulips and the like are at Easter.
I have a friend who has Easter baskets with inserts and they plant grass seed during lent so that they have a basket full of real grass to put out as Easter baskets instead of using the fake stuff.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 27 2012 at 8:34am | IP Logged
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:: Lily of the Valley ::
Called: Our Lady's Tears, The Virgin's Tears, Ladder to Heaven
This is a perennial ( that blooms around Our Lady's Annunciation. It naturalizes prolifically! Legend says that "when Mary wept at the foot of the Cross, her tears fell to the ground and turned into the tiny fragrant blossoms of this early spring plant." (source: Mary's Flowers) I wish you were local, Jenn. I have them naturalizing in my Mary Garden out back and in the spring it's so easy to dig up a few and share! You do have to be careful where you plant them because they do naturalize and multiply! Unfortunately though, the entire plant - leaves, flowers, berries - are all poisonous. I do enjoy them though - I have wild violets and Lily of the Valley naturalizing in my Mary Gardens and they're both early spring flowers.
Speaking of....
:: Wild Violets ::
Called: Our Lady's Modesty, Mary's Delight (white violets)
These are iconic representations of Our Lady's humility and these would be economical and easy to start from seeds. They do have a beautiful connection with Holy Week --> it is said that the violet dropped its head in the shadow of the cross. In medieval gardens they're always cultivated with as much care as the lilies and roses for their representation of Our Lady's humility. Legend weaves them throughout Our Lady's life: blooming outside her window when the angel Gabriel greeted her (in fact, another legend has St. Gabriel blessing the humble violet as he departed from Mary), in the midst of the Visitation as Our Lady joyfully greets Elizabeth. One of my favorite symbols of Our Lady is the Enclosed Garden, and in most paintings of the Enclosed Garden you will find the humble violet with its head bowed. These also naturalize quite prolifically so they're best in a woodland or cottage type Mary Garden where you can enjoy them spreading. If you have a more formal Mary Garden you're probably going to have to start digging a few up because they will take over a garden. Of course, my own philosophy has been to allow them to form a ground cover of sorts, and that is exactly what they have done! They're quite beautiful and one of my favorite flowers. And aside from their rich symbolism, they are a wonderful flower to study as part of Botany.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 27 2012 at 9:55am | IP Logged
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Found another that might work, but I don't think you'd start it as a seed.
:: Ivy ::
You'd have to start them as cuttings, but Ivy is symbolic of eternal life, death and immortality because of its ever green-ness. Because it clings, it's a symbol of Christ's undying love and attachment to us and to His church.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 27 2012 at 10:40am | IP Logged
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Planting Seeds in Lent suggests beans, and later years she did Lily of the Valley pips and Narcissius bulbs.
The grass planting idea
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Seeds to Plant During Lent
