Weekend Programming: The Lore and Lure of the Lotus
Posted in Programs and Events on August 1 2008, by Plant Talk
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Jessica Blohm is Interpretive Specialist for Public Education. |
This week, while planning the upcoming fall Kiku (Japanese chrysanthemum) exhibit, I came across the lotus flowers that are blooming in the aquatic gardens of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Courtyard pools. Thinking about the role that kiku plays in Japanese culture got me thinking about the meaning of the lotus in other cultures.
After doing a bit of research I discovered that throughout history people all over the world have valued the lotus for a variety of reasons. For instance, the lotus flower signifies purity and peace to the people of India, who consider the lotus to be sacred. In China the lotus flower represents a kind person who keeps pure and clean. To Buddhists the lotus flower symbolizes enlightenment, and in Egypt the seeds of the lotus flower are used to make bread.
I am fascinated by the techniques used to care for and maintain lotus plants. If you want to learn to grow and nurture these and other aquatic plants, you should attend this weekend’s Home Gardening Demonstration, “The Incomparable Lotus and Waterlily,” presented by Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education. Who knows? You, too, may discover the meaning of the lotus!
There are lots of other activities taking place at the Garden this weekend as well: a plethora of popular Henry Moore activities such as walking tours, film screenings, and children’s tours (P.S. It was Henry Moore’s 110th birthday this past Wednesday.) If you are looking for an event that will entertain the entire family, visit the Global Gardens in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, where you can participate in cultural crafts and activities and sample special regional foods—homegrown produce and native recipes.