Gardens Evolving thru Time: Customs & Traditions

Showing posts with label Customs & Traditions. Show all posts

Thursday, July 5, 2018

17C Elegant Flemish Maypole with Garden

Peeter Gijsels (Flemish artist, 1621-1690) Detail of Playing Musical Instruments around a Maypole with a SPRING GARDEN in the background

About this Blog

Initially mankind tries to gain some control over his constantly changing & often threatening natural surroundings by creating physical spaces to meet his basic needs for shelter, food, safety, & family. Across the Earth, prehistoric man's discovery that some plants harm & others heal was the origin searching for & eventually growing life-sustaining food & early medicines, as well as creating ancient myths about people & plants. A garden became a planned space set aside for the practical cultivation of edible & medicinal plants, and/or for the artistic display, & enjoyment of decorative plants. As centuries passed, many of the "well-to-do" transformed the gardens near their personal living spaces into art hoping to project a desired image of themselves to others - their wealth, power, refinement, & beliefs.