Guelder Rose. Viburnum Opulus. From the book The Garden in Winter.
One
of the most striking combination of colors is the vibrant red over white.
Somehow it reminds us the blood on the snow. But on a happier note, how
beautiful it looks in a Summer tablecloth, in a lighthouse, in Summer clothes……
The
following is a story from the Japanese mythology:
“The Japanese love flowers
and the indigenous plants of Japan have their myths. Sir Francis Piggott wrote
in his The Garden of Japan: “One day Kinto Fujiwara, Great Advisor of the State,
disputed with the Minister of Uji which was the fairest of spring and autumn
flowers. Said the Minister: “The Cherry is surely best among the flowers of
sping, the Chrysanthemum among those of autumn.” Then Kinto said, “How can the
Cherry –blossom be the best? You have forgotten the Plum.” Their dispute came
at length to be confined to the superiority of the Cherry and Plum, and of
other flowers little notice was taken. At length Kinto, not wishing to offend
the Minister, did not argue so vehemently as before, but said, “Well, have it
so: the Cherry may be the prettier of the two; but when once you have seen the
red Plum-blossom in the snow at the dawn of a spring morning, you will no
longer forget its beauty.” This truly was a gentle saying.” (1)
The
advisor was right without a doubt. The incorporation of red in a Winter garden
creates a visual tension, and in combination with the house façade and
evergreens, the approach would look very festive, ideal for the Holidays. From The Guardian Gardening Blog we learn about the Holly tradition:
"As well as playing a key role in a woodland's winter ecology, holly has a strong cultural resonance amongst humans. Festive holly imagery on Christmas cards may be a Victorian invention, but the tree's association with Christmas goes back to pagan times, when it was customary to bring holly boughs in to deck out the house. Holly was seen as a powerful fertility symbol, and was believed to be an effective charm to ward off witches and ill-fortune: for this reason it was often planted close to homes and outbuildings. Conveniently, its thorny foliage and blood-red berries lent themselves to Christian tradition, and the early customs surrounding the species were fully adopted by Christianity. With its intense red berries, the holly was also seen as a very masculine plant – after all, "the holly wears the crown" – though the fact that hollies with berries are always female seems to have been conveniently forgotten by some in society."
I am sharing here some examples taken from the book The Garden in Winter: (2)
(1) Juliet Piggott. Japanese Mythology. The Country and its Creation. P. 15. Italy. 1982
(2)
Rosemary Verey. The Garden in Winter. New York. 1988
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