July Update
Update for the July 2022 period, including details of our most recent events.
Finally, after three years, we meet Greg Kenicer who came to Dalgety Bay Horticultural Society (DBHS) to give us a presentation called Plants in Witchcraft. It was really very interesting.
First of all, he went through a load of trees, each of which had magical powers in the days gone by. Often these powers were described by the Persians and Assyrians, and these made their way into European folklore as word spread from these countries. The Scots Pine had a tree spirit; the oak had mystical connections to the Druids; yew trees had a very sinister reputation; the Cypress was a plant of the underworld; everyone must have heard the stories of how a rowan tree in your garden will keep away the witches. We have a rowan in our garden and haven't seen any witches so it must work.
Medicinal plants such as liverwort, so called because it supposedly looked like the liver was used to treat liver conditions.; lungwort, so called because it looked like the lungs was used to treat lung conditions; one that we all know well is St John's wort used as an anti-depressant, keeping devils and demons away, which is what St John did.
The plants of love included peas. If a pea was squashed between the fingers, the inside would shoot out. This let you know in which direction you would find your true love; apple pips were used to the same effect; she loves you, she loves you not, was determined by pulling out the petals of a daisy. You had, of course, to make sure the result was positive by finishing on a she loves you.
The next meeting is in the DBHS Syllabus as the Annual Coach Trip to the Japanese Garden at Cowden Castle near Dollar on Saturday 6th August 2022. This is not an organized trip at all. DBHS is recommending the Japanese Garden as a special place to visit. There will be no arrangements to travel by coach or even by car. If you want to go there, you must travel under your own steam. I am told that it is a very beautiful place to visit, so if you do go, please enjoy it.
The “Jobs for” July part of the DBHS report is on the tips page to see what jobs you should be doing at this time of year.
Sincerely,