All people love fairy tales. Beautiful stories warm the soul and give hope for a happy future. Every nation has its own legends. Below you can find the most popular legends about snowdrops. Among them there are both famous Russian fairy tales and foreign stories.
Slavic legend
People have always animated nature. They endowed certain plants with soul and consciousness. This trend can be clearly seen in the Slavic legend about snowdrops.
The old woman-winter was very insidious. She always loved to get on people's nerves and linger longer. But one day she came to an agreement with her friend Cold and her friend Wind, and they decided that they would remain on earth forever. People were worried worst times. Their food supplies were running low, and they did not know how to deal with the old witch. She killed every living thing and compacted her white blanket better and better. But the snowdrop really didn’t like this injustice. He was tired of sitting in snowy shackles and decided to see what was happening. Winter was very surprised by the behavior of the touching flower. But the sun supported the fragile sprout. It warmed him with its rays, and at the same time the whole earth. The snow cover disappeared, melted and turned into water. And now every spring people thank their savior. A flower that, despite the cold and snow, has the courage to break through the frost-bound ground and emerge into the light, is worthy of respect.
Biblical legend
Parents who want to instill in their children a love of Holy Scripture, should tell stories from the Bible or myths created based on it. For example, you can tell your kids the legend of snowdrops.
It was winter that day when God expelled Adam and Eve from paradise. The biting frosts after the warmth of the Garden of Eden seemed especially cruel to the girl. The first pair of people walked on the ground for a long time. They did not know where their path lay. Out of despair and hopelessness, Eva sat down on the ground and began to cry. Hot tears broke through a thick layer of snow. In those places where the tears fell, flowers of incredible beauty grew. Little snowdrops charmed Eva and gave her hope for a bright future. First spring flower is rightfully considered a harbinger of hope. It instills joy in people's hearts and gives the news that spring is approaching.
A fairy tale about brother and sister
Children love to listen to interesting stories with a happy ending. Therefore, in the last days of winter, you can delight your kids with the legend of snowdrops.
Once upon a time, a brother and sister lived on the edge of the forest in a frail hut. They were orphans, and they had no one in the world but each other. To feed his sister and himself, his brother often went hunting in the forest. And then one day, at the end of winter, a boy went into the forest. The sister decided to clean the house and wash the floors before her brother arrived. There was no water in the hut, and the well was far away. But the forest was very close. And the girl decided that she would go into the thicket and pick up two buckets of clean snow, melt it and wash the floors. The sister took the bucket and went to carry out her plan. But the girl did not expect that during her visit to the thicket Leshy would travel around his domain. The forest monster noticed the girl and decided that she would be his wife. Leshy put the girl in a sleigh and took her to his lair. The girl was not at a loss. She tore the pearl beads from her neck, which she had inherited from her mother, and began to mark the road with beads. The white balls sank into the snow, and snowdrops grew in their place. Based on the first flowers, the brother was easily able to find his sister. And the young man scared Leshego so much that he never appeared in the forest again from then on.
Polish legend
Myths and fairy tales are sometimes written based on real events. Of course, part of the fiction is also present in them, but you always want to believe that the basis was true story. Such as in the legend about snowdrops.
It was winter outside. In the village people were starving. The men organized a meeting and decided to go on a long hunt in the forest. So, there was not a single representative of the stronger sex left in the village, except for little boys. Life was hard for people, but spring was expected soon. And then, at the end of winter, a misfortune happened in one family. The baby got sick. A local healer said that without herbs and flowers it would be impossible to defeat the disease. The mother sent her daughter into the forest and told her to collect everything she found. But what could a girl find in a winter forest? All the trees stood bare, and the withered grass was covered with snow. The girl fell to her knees and began to cry. She felt sorry for her brother and did not want to return home at all. Flowers responded to the baby's tears. Snowdrops began to appear from under the snow one by one. The girl was delighted, took a whole one and ran to the healer. The witch prepared a healing decoction that saved the little boy from inevitable death.
Beautiful legend
What instructive things can you tell kids? Tell them the beautiful legend about the snowdrop. For children, such a fairy tale will be interesting and educational.
One day the Sun got bored and decided to come down to earth. Having chosen for itself the appearance of a young man, the luminary descended and was lost among the people. The young man lived happily, managed to meet those who were accustomed to basking in his rays, and had already decided to return to heaven when he was captured by the Serpent. The snake did not want the young man to return. The evil creature wanted to enslave the entire earth and envelop the world in darkness. And his excuses began to come true. Without the sun, people's lives have changed a lot. The land stopped producing crops, the children stopped running and having fun, even the streams fell silent. And then the brave young man decided to save the Sun. He got ready and set off on a long journey. He traveled for a long time, traveled many roads, and at the end of winter he found a castle where the Sun was imprisoned. The brave young man entered into a fierce duel with the Serpent and won it. But in the battle the savior of the Sun was wounded and soon died. Flowers grew in the place where the blood was shed. The sun carefully protected and protected them, so they quickly grew throughout the earth.
Mordovian legend
Many stories are similar to each other. So the legend that was born in Mordovia echoes the previous one. But there are still differences.
The sun descended to earth in the form of a beautiful girl. Beauty settled in the village and got herself a gentleman. But the coquette did not enjoy earthly life for long. I noticed the beauty bird of prey, she grabbed the girl with her clawed paws and carried her into the tower. The monster did not achieve love, so he chained the beauty so that she would not run away. Her village gentleman went in search of his beloved. The daring guy walked for a long time. He climbed all the valleys and gorges. And on the last day of winter he found the treasured tower, which was guarded by a bird. The young man challenged the monster to a duel and won the fight. But the monster pretty much scratched the guy. The young man saved his beloved, but he was not destined to live long. And it was time for the sun to return to the sky. On the battlefield, where blood was shed, wonderful flowers grew, which today are called snowdrops.
The legend about Flora. Amazing story
Do you know the legend about snowdrops? There are all kinds of legends and tales, here is one example of folk art.
Goddess Flora decided to organize a masquerade. She personally sewed a beautiful outfit for each flower. Snowdrop got it white dress. The beautiful suit looked touching on the fragile leg. But the flowers did not rejoice for long. For the holiday we decided to visit the seasons. Summer, Autumn and Spring quickly found those who shared the costume with them, but no one accepted Winter. Snowdrop decided to correct the injustice and covered the winter with her dress. Every year winter thanks the snowdrops for this brave act, covering them from the cold and wind with a white blanket.
Romanian legend
Myths and parables often have unhappy endings. But despite this, they are very pleasant to listen to. Myths and legends about snowdrops are usually very interesting. Here is one of the Romanian legends.
The spring fairy flew out of her house at the wrong time. She did not think that the treacherous winter would linger longer than expected. But the old white woman was just waiting for that. She wanted to rule as long as possible, and therefore froze all the helpers of spring. The charming girl was waiting for death from the cold. The lovely creature was already preparing to accept her fate, when suddenly a brave young man appeared on the horizon. He tore his chest to warm the fairy with warm blood. But this romantic act did not save the fairy's life. She died. In the place where the young man’s blood was shed, white flowers grew, which by their existence showed winter that despite the cold and death, love does not die.
Fairy tale for children
Kids really like this legend about spring.
Winter decided to linger. At first she stayed for a week, then two, and then she got so excited that she decided to rule on earth permanently. Winter asked her assistant, the cold, to notify the plants that spring would not come. Nature is sad. One snowdrop was rebellious. Despite all the prohibitions, he got out and began to bravely confront the winter. Spring, having found support in the face of the first flower, blew away from the ground white bedspread. And after the firstborn, the rest of the flowers covered the ground. So the green beauty of spring came into its own.
Our distant ancestors had no doubt that plants came to this world not by chance and had a special meaning. The ways of their appearance were shrouded in mystery, giving rise to numerous theories, including “magic” ones. The aster turned out to be one of these symbols. The legend about the flower, the appearance of which served as the source of the name, attributes to it a divine origin. So where did this beautiful plant come from?
Legend of the Flower: Aster from Persephone
The most beautiful description of the history of this “star” plant was given to our contemporaries from the inhabitants Ancient Greece. It was they who first wrote down an explanation of where the aster came from. The legend about the flower says that people should thank Persephone for it.
How is the eternally young goddess of spring connected with the appearance of this plant? Persephone is the unhappy wife of Hades, who ruled the underworld. He forcibly took her as his wife, kidnapping her from her mother Demeter. The gods ordered the young wife to spend at least half of her life (autumn and winter) in her husband’s abode, so year after year she sank underground with the arrival of cold weather.
What does the aster have to do with it? The legend of the flower claims that one day at the end of August the unfortunate goddess noticed a young man and a girl in love exchanging kisses, being hidden by the darkness of the night. Persephone, deprived of love and soon forced to go to Hades, began to sob in despair. The sufferer's tears turned into star dust, falling to the ground and transforming into wonderful asters. It is not surprising that the Greeks have associated this plant with love since ancient times.
Monks found the stars
Not only Persephone is “blamed” for the appearance on our planet of such a miracle as the aster. The legend about the flower, which is popular in China, contains another explanation. It all started with the journey of two Taoist clerics who decided to reach the stars. The path of the monks, as one would expect, turned out to be long and difficult. They had to penetrate through juniper thickets, fall, slip on icy paths, and wander through an inhospitable forest.
Finally, the clergy climbed Mount Altai. Once at the top, they decided to rest, since their legs were skinned with blood, and only rags were left of their clothes. The monks with difficulty descended into the valley, where they saw a clear stream and a flower meadow. What does the legend about the flower have to do with it? The aster turned out to be exactly the beautiful plant that the travelers found in the valley. Noticing this miracle, they realized that there are stars not only in the sky.
The monks could not resist taking plant samples with them. They began to grow them on monastery lands, coming up with a suitable name. Translated from Latin word"aster" means "star".
Aphrodite's Gift
The people who once inhabited Ancient Greece were imaginative. It is not surprising that they offer another legend about the flower. Astra is known to be considered a symbol of the Virgo sign. People ruled by a romantic constellation will be interested to know why this particular plant was chosen for them.
It turns out that the ancient Greeks, who lived before our era, were actively interested in astrology and already had an idea of the constellation Virgo. It, in turn, was identified by the inhabitants of the ancient world with the goddess Aphrodite. The theory goes that the tears shed over the death of a beautiful lover turned into... cosmic dust. This is another legend about a flower (the aster, as it turns out, has been popular for a long time) differs from the story in which Persephone is the heroine. The dust settled on the ground and gradually transformed into a plant.
Astra in Ancient Greece
This was the first state whose residents began to grow asters. Taking into account the “divine” versions of the origin of “star” plants, it is not surprising that they were given special place. The legend about the autumn flower aster, which was believed in those days, claimed that it had the ability to ward off troubles from home and drive away evil spirits. This explains the habit of the ancient Greeks to decorate their home areas with these plants.
It is interesting that asters were brought to Crimea from Greece. Evidence that the flower was grown by the Scythians was found in Simferopol. Excavations carried out there made it possible to discover drawings in which these plants appeared. They were located on the walls of the imperial tomb. It is curious, but the Scythians saw the sun in this work of nature and also considered it a divine gift.
Symbol of love
In Ancient Greece, temples glorifying the powerful and beautiful Aphrodite became widespread. As mentioned above, the legend about autumn flower(the aster is meant) assures that the tears of this plant turned into a plant. This explains why it was chosen as a symbol, the drawings of which were used to decorate the altars. Parishioners visiting the temple of Aphrodite to offer prayers also wove the plant into their hair and clothes.
Not many people know that aster was used during fortune telling by young Greek women. Girls who wanted to start a family found out thanks to magical ritual betrothed's name. The ritual commanded to visit the garden in the middle of the night, approach the flower bushes and listen carefully. It was believed that asters would learn the name of the future groom from the stars and tell the one who could hear their quiet whisper.
"Star" of the East
Not only the Greeks, but also the Chinese have been growing asters for many centuries, giving them a special meaning. Recommendations have been passed down from generation to generation describing how to make bouquets correctly. The teaching of Feng Shui is favorable to this plant, seeing in it a symbol of love. According to Feng Shui, “stars” help those who wish to activate the love sector. You need to place a bouquet in it.
The legend about the flower (aster for children is also a kind of symbol), passed down in China from father to son, says that these gifts of nature save from evil demons. For protection, residents of the country burned the petals, scattering the ashes around the house.
Interestingly, “star” bouquets also help spouses whose feelings have faded over the years. There is even a recipe for a special salad with flower petals, which Chinese women have been sharing with their daughters for centuries. It is believed that it is enough to feed such a dish to a cold husband for him to regain his lost ardor. This food is also recommended for childless couples, as it fuels sexual desire, which will lead to the birth of children.
European traditions
The inhabitants of Europe also had an idea of how magical the aster (flower) was. The legends and beliefs that surrounded him had a direct influence on European traditions. With the help of this plant one could even express secret thoughts. The donor, presenting a bouquet of “stars,” could tell the recipient about admiration, friendly respect, hidden love, and even report hatred. It all depended on how the bouquet was composed. Most often, asters were presented to ladies by ardent gentlemen.
However, not all inhabitants of Europe associated it with love. In the eastern part, this plant was seen as a symbol of sadness, which was associated with sadness about the end of summer.
An interesting fact - the aster adorns the coat of arms of the Republic of Tatarstan, since in this country the flower symbolizes eternal life. Here it is also used for decoration residential buildings, attracting prosperity to the family.
Myths about other colors
Of course, not only “stars” are surrounded by myths; they also have other legends and beliefs. Astra, for example, can't compete with violets for the number of origin stories. One popular version insists that these gifts of nature appeared thanks to Zeus. The Thunderer turned the daughter of Atlas, hiding from the lover Apollo, into a violet, but forgot to disenchant the girl.
Gladiolus is another record holder for the number of myths. The famous theory says that it arose on the planet as a result of a battle that took place between the Thracians and the Romans. After the Roman victory, many young Thracians found themselves slaves, including two friends. When the cruel ruler ordered them to fight to the death, they refused. The brave young men were killed, but the first gladioli grew from their defeated bodies.
This is what the most famous legends about the aster and other beautiful flowers look like.
There are many similar signs among all peoples of the world. For our ancestors, flowers were not just garden decorations, but also witnesses of ancient legends.
In the article:
Beliefs about the tulip
These beautiful and proud flowers have fascinated people for a long time. Their name means devoted love. A sad legend about Farhad and his beloved Shirin is connected with this.
Farhad loved Shirin since childhood, but, being a simple stonemason (in other sources - a shepherd), he did not dare to open his heart to her. When the time came for Shirin to marry, she set the condition that she would become the wife of only the one who would bring water from the river to their fortress in one night. Farhad almost succeeded in completing the task, but the vile prince Khisrov, with the help of cunning, convinced him that he had already accomplished this and would soon marry his beloved. Not wanting to live without his beloved, Farhad smashed his head with a pickaxe, and beautiful flowers grew from drops of his blood. The deception was discovered and Khisrov was expelled in disgrace. Shirin never married, continuing to love Farhad until the end of her days.
Many people don't like it yellow flowers- they symbolize separation. However, this does not apply to tulips. On the contrary, there is a belief that in the bud yellow tulip. Many tried to reveal it, but only a child succeeded. He's never seen anything like this before beautiful flowers, and from his sincere admiration the tulip itself opened its petals and bestowed happiness on the child.
In England, in the north of Devonshire, there is such a legend. In one wonderful evening While walking through the garden, an elderly woman saw little fairies sleeping peacefully in the buds. She was pleased to watch them and so she planted even more tulips so that the magical creatures would come again and again. At first the fairies were a little afraid of her, but, seeing her kind attitude, they fell in love, and the tulips acquired the most incredible colors and a wonderful aroma. When the old woman died, the house was inherited by a greedy relative who destroyed the flowers and planted vegetables. The fairies got angry and spoiled the plants, ruining the owner. The grave of the former owner was always buried in flowers that bloomed until late autumn. Soon the previous owner was replaced by another, even more cruel one, and he cut everything off. The fairies were forced to fly away from this region, and from that moment on, tulips have no scent.
Legends about irises
Iris is a symbol of purity, innocence, spiritual greatness and nobility. With the advent of Christianity, these flowers began to symbolize the grief and longing of the Mother of God for her son. There are many legends about the origin of this flower. They say that the first iris blossomed many thousands of years ago and was so beautiful that all animals and even the elements could not stop admiring it. A dispute soon arose over who would own the flower, but while it lasted, the wind and water grabbed its seeds and carried them to distant lands. Thus, iris is found in almost all countries.
The ancient Greeks have a legend according to which these flowers belong to the goddess Iris. As you know, she serves as a mediator between gods and people. Iris is also compared to a rainbow, which connects earth and sky. Irises were considered fragments of an arc that fell down so that people could admire it all year round.
In Slavic mythology, irises are associated with the name of the thunder god Perun. According to legend, these beautiful flowers appear in the places where he was struck by lightning. It’s not for nothing that the popular name for iris is perunika.
There are many beliefs associated with this beautiful flower, talk about unhappy love. One day a girl from a noble family fell in love with a simple shepherd. They met in secret and were incredibly happy. But evil people They told her father about this, he became angry and ordered the shepherd to be killed. When the girl found out about this, she cried bitterly, and where her tears fell, beautiful flowers sprouted the next day.
Myths about pansies
Pansies are popular in many countries. That is why so many legends and beliefs are associated with them. The oldest of them belong to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They say that these flowers were grown by Zeus himself as a gift to his mortal beloved - Io, the daughter of the Argive king. Zeus's wife Hera was terribly jealous of his princess. To ward off suspicion, God turned the unfortunate woman into a cow, and only the unusual white color reminded her of former beauty. Hera released a gadfly on her, which stung without stopping. Fleeing, beside herself with pain, Io was doomed to long torment and suffering before she managed to regain her human form. To encourage Io, Zeus created pansies, which symbolize the end of Io’s suffering and its subsequent reward.
The ancient Romans associated this flower with the goddess of love, Venus. One day, while swimming in the lake, she discovered that mortals were watching her. Angry, she turned them into pansies, since none of the ordinary people dares to spy on the gods.
A Russian legend tells about a deceived girl Anyuta. She loved her fiancé very much, who, having played enough, abandoned the poor thing and left for distant countries. Unable to withstand the separation and betrayal, Anyuta died, and tricolor violets grew on her grave, which symbolized the girl’s feelings: a white petal - faith, a yellow petal - surprise and a purple petal - sadness.
There was also a belief that pansies were people who spied on others, for which they were punished. However, this legend has a double interpretation, since there is a myth that this is the embodiment of elves who love to watch everything that happens in the world.
Legends of daisies
The name of these magical flowers is translated from ancient Greek as pearl. And this is justified, since despite the external simplicity of daisies, they have been the favorite plants of both the nobility and commoners for many centuries. There are many beliefs and myths associated with them.
The most famous legend is about Admet and Alcestis.
Admetus, the king of Fer, was a friend of Apollo, who was able to protect him from death on the condition that when Fer's turn came, someone else would replace him on the way to the kingdom of Hades. But no one wanted to sacrifice themselves for Admetus, and only his wife Alcestis, who devotedly loved her husband, agreed to die in his place. At this time, Hercules was visiting Admetus. Touched to the depths of his soul by Alcestis's selflessness, the hero descended into Hades and took her away. Despite this, she could not return to her previous form and turned into a never-before-seen flower. This is how daisies appeared.
They also tell about the beautiful nymph Belides, who played in the forest with her friends. One day, the god of fertility and shepherding, Pan, fell in love with her and began to pursue her. Not knowing where to go from his persistent love, the nymph asked for protection from Mother Earth. Hearing Balides' pleas, she transformed her into beautiful plants.
Beliefs about spring flowers - snowdrops
Probably everyone knows what a snowdrop looks like and has admired it at least once in their life. It should be noted that this is the flower that blooms first in gardens after a long winter. Despite its apparent fragility, snowdrops are not afraid of snow and frost. His durability and strength delighted our ancestors, which is why so many beautiful legends are associated with him.
There is a story that the snowdrop is the first flower in the world. Adam and Eve, expelled from paradise, wandered through the Earth, where winter reigned. Eve cried bitterly, regretting her misdeed, and God, trying to console and encourage her, turned her tears into beautiful white flowers that continued to grow even in the cold.
LILAC - (lat. Syringa). According to one version, its name comes from the Greek “sуrinх” - “pipe”, “pipe”. Indeed, pipes and pipes for pipes were cut from lilac trunks. According to another, “syringa” - the general name of ancient Greek flutes - comes from the name of the river nymph Syringa, who, according to Greek legend, turned into a lilac, fleeing from the lustful forest god Pan.
In Russia, its name has changed over time. At first it was called French chenille, because it came to us from France. In the East, lilac was called “lilac”, from the ancient Indian “nilas” - dark blue, therefore - chenille.
She was also called the Persian princess, the Shemakha queen, the Turkish viburnum (due to its eastern origin), the tree of paradise, and the buzk. By the way, about its origin.
It is a relatively young culture in Europe. For many years it was believed that the birthplace of lilacs was the Balkans. In the 16th century, the Austrian ambassador to the Turkish Sultan brought its bush from Istanbul to Vienna. By the way, another Austrian ambassador, eight years earlier, brought tulips from the same place. Lilac quickly spread throughout Europe, and came to Russia only two hundred years ago. But it turns out this one beautiful bush has three independent centers of natural growth: Balkan-Carpathian (Hungarian lilac), East Asian (Amur lilac) and Himalayan.
Amur lilac is popularly called “cracker”. Its fruits - long seed pods - crack when ripe with a characteristic sound, scattering seeds, and its raw logs crack loudly when burning. Moreover, this crackling sound in both cases is heard at a distance of up to several tens of meters! I was lucky, I heard it when I was walking in the botanical garden of Moscow State University in the fall. Amur lilac is also notable for the fact that in natural conditions it grows up to 10-15, and sometimes up to 20 meters.
Amur lilac
Scandinavian legend says that lilacs were created by the goddess of Spring. She woke up the Sun and the rainbow Iris, mixed their rays and, going from south to north, began to shower the Earth with them. And immediately bright flowers appeared everywhere - in the meadows, clearings, and tree branches. But when the goddess reached Scandinavia, of all the colors of the rainbow, only purple and a few white rays of the sun remained. She threw them onto the bushes growing there. The branches were immediately covered with fragrant purple and white clusters of flowers, which covered the bushes so luxuriantly that the leaves were not even visible. This is how all the northern countries were covered with purple and white lilacs.
For a long time, only purple lilacs grew in England. And when she appeared there, such a folk legend developed. One day, a rich lord deceived a young girl who trusted him. The poor thing died from resentment and grief. Friends strewn her grave with armfuls of purple lilacs, and the next day they saw that the lilac had turned white from the girl’s purity and sadness.
The symbolism of lilac is ambiguous. On the one hand, it is a symbol of spring, eternal love, on the other hand, a symbol of sadness. N.F. Zolotnitsky in the book “Flowers in Legends and Traditions” wrote: “In the East... it serves as an emblem of sad parting, and therefore the lover gives it... to his beloved only when they separate or part forever.” Among Europeans, lilac is considered a flower of grief and misfortune; among the Slavs, it is a symbol of love anxiety.
Like all plants, people have endowed lilac with many signs and beliefs. In Rus', some still continue to believe that you cannot keep bouquets of white blooming lilacs in your house, otherwise you can become a widow. And according to the old English proverb, he who wears lilac will never wear a wedding ring.
Other beliefs, on the contrary, endow lilacs with positive qualities. It used to be believed that where lilac bushes grow, there will be no ghosts and evil spirits, but there will be happiness and peace. In a house near which lilacs are planted, love will be eternal. An amulet made of lilac wood will bring an abundance of suitors to girls, and happiness in marriage to women.
Girls used lilac for fortune telling: it was believed that if you find its five-petalled flower, it means you will be happy. White lilac is especially rich in such flowers, while purple ones are much less common. Having found such a flower, the lucky ones dried it and stored it, or ate it for happiness and good luck. If there were flowers with three petals, this meant trouble, and then they tried to get rid of such a flower. This custom has survived to this day.
There is a popular belief that lilacs can make wishes come true, or at least tell whether they will come true. To do this, on the full moon you need to pick 8 flowers and hold them tightly in your fist. Unclench your fist and place the flowers, under no circumstances looking at them, under the pillow. Then you can make a wish and fall asleep. If in the morning it turns out that the flowers have not withered and retained their color, the wish will come true.
And in conclusion, here are some interesting and little-known facts about this beautiful plant. It turns out that lilac is the closest relative of subtropical olives. Although lilacs began to be grown relatively recently - only about five hundred years ago, in terms of variety of varieties it is far ahead of others ornamental shrubs, second only to roses and rhododendrons. And one more thing.
Many have noticed how in relatively warm November and December, when the temperature is no lower than minus three degrees, buds swell on lilac branches. The fact is that, unlike many other shrubs, it has a short dormant period, which ends in October. Scientists believe that, apparently, in the past, lilac was an evergreen plant. During evolution, as the climate cooled, it adapted to new conditions and began to shed leaves for the winter, but retained the ability to go through a dormant period at relatively higher temperatures.
It has been calculated that during the flowering period there are about 18,000 flowers on one lilac bush, the weight of which is approximately 8 kg. Everyone loves lilac, but we must keep in mind that it has one peculiarity: it cannot stand the close proximity of lily of the valley either on the plot or in a vase, and its bouquet should not be left in the room overnight. The smell of lilac can cause allergies or severe headaches. It is pleasant, but quite strong, it is no coincidence that perfumes and cologne are made from its flowers.
Flowers have occupied an important place in human life since ancient times. The reason for the emergence of various legends and beliefs were their some features. Flowers have been cultivated for centuries, and people love to tell beautiful stories about them. Let's talk about the plants of autumn flower beds that decorate gardens and delight the eye until frost. Typical fall flowers include crops that bloom from September to November.
Some features
Exactly short days, when the sun is not so hot, and fog creeps in in the morning and dew appears, are considered the most suitable period for many flowering plants. The bright and rich colors of plants in autumn flower beds only evoke positive emotions and help cope with autumn depression. Crops grown during this period easily tolerate temperature changes, are not capricious and are not afraid of light frosts. And, for example, ornamental cabbage generally grows almost throughout November.
Plants of autumn flower beds and their names
The queen of autumn flowers is called the chrysanthemum, which has many varieties, flower shapes and a riot of colors. The inflorescences are held on spreading and lush bushes almost to frost. Late varieties of roses with shades of cream, soft pink, tea and lemon colors are especially popular among gardeners. Helenium bushes, completely strewn with bright orange or brick-brown flowers with delicate greenery, add originality to the flowerbed. September flowers and asters are many favorite autumn flower garden plants. The former are with classic petal tones of white or red, and the latter are with bright purple and heavenly shades. Awesome late varieties tall dahlias. They look especially impressive in single plantings, causing delight large flowers various colors. Red or orange crocosmia with sword-shaped leaves fits perfectly into the border of flower beds with violet or lilac asters. Zinnia does not fade until frost and attracts attention with its elegant orange, white and red-raspberry shades. Lilac, white and blue arrows of delphinium look good in autumn flower beds, which pleases with juicy and bright colors. Adds charm to a shaded area Japanese anemone and tricyrtis. Shrubs with bright balls of hydrangea and crimson heather look incomparable. The list of autumn flowers is endless. Every gardener can experiment and choose the most suitable options from several plants for the autumn flower garden.
Flower garden design from asters and chrysanthemums
It is preferable to use tall classic chrysanthemums as a background; they have a lot of greenery and dense flowers. Plant asters on the front edge, best of all New England or New Belgian with a small bush height. Special attention should be addressed color palette. For example, tall flowers are pink, and low flowers are burgundy, white or scarlet. In addition, several cereal crops should be included in the composition.
Aster
Its homeland is Northern Asia. Aster is a plant of autumn flower beds. Beliefs and legends associated with it are passed down from generation to generation. Here are some of them.
Five centuries ago, a botanist from France came across the seeds of an unknown plant. He sowed them, and a wonderful red flower with a yellow center blossomed. By appearance it looked like a daisy, only bigger. That's what they called him - "Queen of Daisies". Gardeners began breeding new varieties, and, after some time, they got a beautiful flower with double petals. One of the nerds shouted: “Aster!” Translated from Greek language it means "star". This is how the flower got its name “aster”. Annuals are especially popular among gardeners thanks to the efforts of breeders from France.
According to another belief, the flower received this name due to its thin petals reminiscent of star rays. If you go out into the garden where asters grow at midnight and stand between them, you can hear their quiet whispering. This is how they communicate with the stars. The constellation Virgo is always associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. According to ancient Greek legend, when the Virgin cried and looked at the earth, an aster was formed from fine cosmic dust. This flower is considered a symbol of the fair sex, who were born under the sign of Virgo. For the ancient Greeks, it means a wonderful feeling - love. Charm, elegance, modesty, beauty and precision are in China. In Hungary, the aster is the rose of the golden season and an ideal plant for the autumn flower garden. The belief about her is as follows. Several centuries ago, people believed that smoke from a fire into which aster petals were thrown would drive away snakes.
Chrysanthemum flower garden
The main emphasis, of course, is given to the autumn “queen” of burgundy and bronze shades. Golden rudbeckia will go well with it, and pink sedum should be planted along the edge of the flowerbed. Many gardeners call her the queen for her abundant and long flowering in the autumn. This has been cultivated in China since ancient times. beautiful plant. It is recognized as a magical flower not only in this country, but also in Japan.
There is even a special ritual dedicated to its presentation. Since the second half of the eighteenth century this amazing flower became known to Europeans. To date, more than 600 varieties and varieties have been bred, which differ in flowering time, shape and size of petals, length of pedicels, and color. This plant is unpretentious for autumn flower beds, but prefers well-lit places and does not like stagnant water. You can propagate in several ways, using cuttings, seeds or dividing the bush. To form large flowers, the side shoots are removed, leaving no more than three buds.
Flowerbed of dahlias
Dahlias look great on their own. To enhance their beauty, needle-like dark red and bright yellow hues are best paired with white or crimson nymphal dahlias. All varieties of this plant in the autumn flower garden (photo below) are simply magnificent. These luxurious flowers were brought from America to Europe in the sixteenth century by settlers from Spain, where they were grown for the consumption of tubers.
After some time, breeders noticed the beautiful flowers. The ancestor of everything modern diversity is the dahlia variable. The plant is heat-loving, despite its late flowering. It is demanding on the soil and prefers well-fertilized soil with drainage and regular watering. They reproduce by dividing tubers.
Zinnia
One of the most famous and many beloved crops among gardeners around the world. This name was given to it by K. Linnaeus in honor of Professor Zinn, who headed the botanical garden in Gotting. This flower was first discovered in the gardens of the Aztec ruler Montezuma by the Spaniards. Stem at different varieties differs in height and can reach one meter. Blooms until frost. Preferable for growing sunny places. Has a huge variety of colors - almost all shades, except blue tone. In the USA, zinnia is national flower.
Gladioli
Africa is considered the birthplace of the flower; in this country it symbolizes happiness. In Rome and Ancient Greece it is a symbol of gladiators, as it is shaped like a sword. Healers and shamans attributed magical properties to it. Gladiolus is an autumn flower garden plant. Beliefs and legends say that in ancient times in South Africa, when wars were commonplace, invaders descended on a small village. The elder disappeared, hiding all the values of the community from enemies. But they captured his daughter and tortured her, trying to find out where her father was hiding. The girl did not utter a word, and then the strangers decided to execute her in front of the entire community. As soon as the sword touched the girl’s neck, it suddenly turned into a flower with blood-red buds. The enemies got scared and decided that it was the gods who were condemning them, and quickly ran away, saving the young girl’s life.
There are other legends about the origin of this wonderful flower. Here is one of the beliefs. An autumn flower garden plant, gladiolus roots, hung on a warrior’s chest as an amulet, will save him from death and help him win a battle. In the Middle Ages, German infantrymen believed in magical power bulbs and wore them as amulets.
Gladiolus requires fertile soil, abundant infrequent watering and a lot of light. After flowering, the green part of the plant is cut off, and the bulb is left to ripen for up to two weeks. Then it is dug up, dried and stored in the refrigerator until spring. Thrips are the main enemies. They hide in the bulbs; to combat them during the growing season, the plant is sprayed with fungicidal agents. They reproduce by daughter bulbs, or they are also called babies.
Marigold
The Latin name of this plant is Tagetes, so it was named in honor of Tagetus - the grandson of Jupiter and the son of Genius. He became famous for his ability to predict the future. The boy had high intelligence and a unique gift of foresight. He appeared to people in the form of a baby who was found in a furrow by a plowman. The kid taught people to tell fortunes using the insides of animals, and also told them what would happen next in the world. He disappeared just as he appeared, completely suddenly. His predictions were recorded in prophetic books and passed on to their descendants.
A story about an autumn flower garden plant (grade 2)
In ancient times, I grew up in a poor family little boy. He was weak and sick. That's what his name was - Zamorysh. However, with age, this child learned to heal and learned all the subtleties and secrets medicinal herbs. People came to him for help from various surrounding settlements. One day an old man appeared who was jealous of Zamorysh’s fame and decided to destroy him. In one of holidays he presented him with wine to which poison had been added. After drinking it, Zamorysh realized that he was dying. He called people and asked them to take a marigold from his left hand after his death and bury it under the poisoner’s window. His request was fulfilled. And in the place where the nail was buried, golden flowers grew, which cure many diseases. And they were named after this boy - marigolds. Here is a short story about one of the plants in the autumn flower garden.
Calendula
People call it marigold because unusual shape fruits Catholic Christians decorated the statue of the Mother of the Savior with calendula and called it “Mary’s Gold”. The flower of “ten thousand years” is how it is called in China, where it symbolizes long life. IN ancient india Garlands were woven from this plant and used to decorate statues of saints.
Another name for the flower is “bride of summer” because of its ability to turn after the sun. The petals bloom in the light and gather in the shade. Because of this property, the ancient Romans called calendula “the master's dial.” They believed that in this way the plant lets them know about the onset of day and night. Another name is “calendar”. Currently withdrawn terry varieties with large inflorescences have lost the ability to close at night, but this name remains.
Phloxes
This flower came to Europe in the mid-eighteenth century, and is considered its homeland North America. Translated from Greek it is “flame”. Tall wild flowers resembled flames in color and shape, hence the name that C. Linnaeus gave them. Phlox is very often used together with other plants for the autumn flower garden. Beliefs and legends about them say that when Odysseus and his comrades emerged from the kingdom of Hades, they threw their torches to the ground. Soon they sprouted and turned into wonderful flowers - phlox. According to another legend, in ancient times there lived a girl who loved to sew. She was a skilled craftswoman. She had a lover and they were going to get married. However, the groom was taken into the army. Since then, the girl cried all the time from melancholy and sewed different outfits for people. One day she accidentally pricked her finger because her eyes were blurred with tears. From a drop of blood, a fiery flower suddenly grew, similar to her love, and red in color like her blood.
They bloom for a long period, starting in April and ending with the first frost. This is one of the plants of the autumn flower garden. The beliefs and legends associated with pansies are very beautiful. Here are some of them. In ancient times, there lived a beauty named Anyuta. One seducer broke the heart of a trusting girl who loved him with all her soul. From sadness and melancholy she sunbathed and died. Flowers grew on her grave, which were painted in three colors. They symbolize the feelings that the girl Anyuta experienced:
- surprise at injustice and insult;
- sadness associated with unrequited love;
- hope that reciprocity will arise.
The ancient Greeks considered three colors of pansies to be a sign of a love triangle. According to another legend, Zeus liked the daughter of King Io of Aragon. And his wife turned her into an animal - a cow. After long wanderings, she returned to her human form. Zeus grew violets as a gift to the girl. These flowers have always been a symbol of fidelity and love. Some peoples have customs associated with this plant. In England, they were presented to lovers on Valentine's Day, calling them “heart delight.” As a sign of love and fidelity, they were given to a lover in Poland when he was leaving for a long period. They were called “flowers for memory” in France. According to Roman mythology, they are associated with the image of Venus. The ancient Romans believed that the gods turned men into pansies who sneaked a peek at the goddess of love bathing.
Autumn cereal crops
Let's look at several plants of autumn flower beds and their names:
- Acute-flowered reed grass. perennial bush about one and a half meters high with hard narrow leaves. In July, panicle inflorescences appear and last until the cold weather. The plant is unpretentious, but prefers sunny and dry places. In spring, leaves and flower stalks must be cut off, leaving three centimeters from the ground.
- Blue molinia. Grows up to 60 cm, forming a loose, spherical bush. Panicle inflorescences appear in August and last until frost. In autumn, narrow long leaves dress in a bright yellow outfit.
These plants are successfully used to decorate flower beds; they retain their beauty in winter time.
Work before wintering
Overgrown bushes should be replanted. Inspect carefully root system and bulbs, removing weak and diseased parts. Dry the rhizomes and bulbs of gladioli, peonies and dahlias and store in a cool place. Apply fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium to plants that do not require replanting. The ground under the bushes needs to be dug up. Carefully trim and cover the roses. In early September, plant tulips and daffodils. Collect seed material for the next season from annuals. Cover climbing perennials with your own shoots. Sprinkle the soil around the peonies with sand and ash, and cut off the greenery. You can cover it when frost starts.
Conclusion
What plants to use for autumn flower beds? There is room for your imagination. Hanging flower beds with small flowers look intricate climbing flowers. And plants in flowerpots or baskets look spectacular on rainy days. Gladioli in bright colors, planted singly or in groups along a garden alley along with foxgloves, will lift your spirits.
If you use different design ideas, your garden will sparkle with bright colors in the autumn. After reading the article, you have become familiar with some interesting facts about the origin of the names and plants of autumn flower beds (photo above).
