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Since about the turn of the century, many people have planted Bible gardens. These are gardens in which the plants are selected according to those referenced in Scripture. Many references and stories of the Bible seem more clear when we can see, smell, and touch the plants referred to.
Begin by researching the biblical plants and herbs that best fit your area’s climate. We list only a few here; a trip to the gardening section of your public library, as well as a study of Scripture, will give you more ideas. If space allows, you may wish to enhance this area of the garden with a bench or other seating and some sort of water accent to provide a restful place to sit and read your Bible.
There are many plants named in the Bible; only a few of the herbs are listed below. Most of these can be easily grown in the United States. Perhaps our list will strike a spark in your imagination for a special focal point or idea to use in making your own Bible garden.
Anise – Mentioned in Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees (Matt 23:23) (although many scholars believe that the word should have been translated as dill, rather than anise). Anise was a favorite of many in biblical times for its strong licorice flavor. Later, during the plagues of the Middle Ages, anise was used as a disinfectant. It has also been used as a remedy for indigestion and to sweeten the breath. Recently scientists have discovered that its distinctive odor is a good additive to perfume, as it holds an attraction for many men.
Bay — David mentions the bay tree in Ps 37. In American gardens, the bay laurel with its glossy evergreen leaves is more of a shrub than a tree. In the time of the Greeks and Romans, it was called laurel and its leaves were awarded to the victors in the Olympic Games and to heroes returning from war. The bay laurel can be grown in a pot for many years. Wreaths made of the leaves sweeten and freshen the air in your home, and the leaves are used in many popular recipes.
Coriander — When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, God fed them manna, which “was like coriander seed” (Ex 16:31). Only the seeds of this annual are called coriander; the leaves of the plant are known as cilantro and are much used in Mexican and some Oriental cuisines.
Cumin — In Isaiah, cumin is mentioned in the lesson of the ploughman (28:25). In the New Testament, Jesus mentions it as one of the herbs the scribes and Pharisees paid tithes on, along with mint and anise (Matt 23:23). The spicy seed is used in curry powder and for flavoring chili and stew.
Dill — Also mentioned in Matthew, dill is easy to grow and a favorite with cooks everywhere. City dwellers can grow this herb in large clay pots on the patio.
Flax — In Prov 31:13, the valiant woman who provides for her family has sought wool and flax and made them into cloth by her own handwork. The bright blue flowers and blue-green leaves of flax add a colorful note to the herb garden.
Garlic — While wandering in the desert, the Israelites recalled the savor of some of their favorite foods, including meat, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic (Num 11:5). Today, there are many varieties of garlic and it is a favorite of cooks in almost every nation. This slow-growing perennial is easy to grow. Separate the bulb into cloves and plant pointed end up, just deep enough in the soil to cover the tops. Apartment dwellers can grow garlic in a pot. When the flavor of garlic is wanted, simply cut and chop one of the leaves, adding it to your recipe for a delicate flavor. When grown outside, the entire plant is dug up to harvest the bulbs.
Hyssop — According to Jewish ritual law, things defiled were purified by sprinkling water from a bunch of hyssop (Ps 51:9). The hyssop of Bible times was Origanum syriacum; the hyssop used in today’s gardens belongs to the mint family. It is used in cooking and in making cologne. The attractive evergreen plant is often used as a border.
Mint — There are many varieties of mint, several common in Palestine. Many botanists agree that the mint referred to in the New Testament (Matt 23:23, Lk 11:42) is horsemint. Most mints grow readily in American gardens, but because of their underground runners tend to take over, it’s best to make some kind of barrier around them. You can knock the bottom off an old pot and sink it into the soil to the rim to contain the mint. Mint can also be grown in a pot on a patio; trimming the top of the plant causes it to bush out. Mint makes a flavorful tea on its own, is a wonderful additive to other teas, and can be used as a flavoring for many sweets. Dried, the leaves and stems make a good addition to potpourri.
Mustard — In the parable of the mustard seed (Matt 13:31-32) Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, pointing out that from such a tiny seed a large plant would grow.
Ordinary black mustard is an annual which grows to three or four feet in height. Young, tender leaves can be eaten in salads and stir-fry recipes. In many places in the South, people boil and eat the large leaves. The condiment mustard is made from the seeds.
Parsley — Wild parsley grew abundantly in the biblical lands and was one of the first herbs to be cultivated. It was a sign of victory and achievement. The ancient Roman athletes wore crowns woven of it. St. Paul refers to this “corruptible crown” in 1 Cor 9:25.
Rue (Lk 11:42) and Wormwood (Rev 8:10-11) — Both bitter herbs, while rarely used for culinary purposes, are often grown in gardens for their attractive foliage.
From the fifth century, monasteries have been storehouses of learning; their copying and preservation of manuscripts maintained the sum of mankind’s knowledge practically intact. As self-sustaining entities, each monastery had vegetable plots, vineyards, orchards, and a garden of medicinal herbs, as well as a flower garden where flowers were grown to decorate the church. Gardens were tended both inside and outside the walls. In the sixth century, St. Benedict, one of the great monastic founders, enjoined self-sufficiency in production of vegetables and herbs for his monasteries, and work in the garden for each of its members. The Benedictines preserved the Roman horticultural science and improved gardening techniques throughout the Middle Ages.
You will need:
Cut a piece of copper tubing ¾" longer than the length of the cork. Copper is soft and will cut easily with the coping saw, hack saw, or tubing cutter. (You can buy copper tubing at the hardware store.) With the ice pick, carefully make a hole from the top to the bottom of the cork. Twist a large screw into the hole to ream it out, then twist the screw back out. You may have to do this from both the top and the bottom if your screw is not long enough to go through the entire cork. This is the only difficult part of this project. Cork is fragile and you don’t want to crack it.
When you have made a hole in the cork, use a hammer to gently tap in the copper tubing. The tubing should push into the cork so only the smallest smidgen of tubing sticks out of the bottom of the cork. Tubing should stick out above the cork at least ½". Cut a piece of candlewick the length of the bottle plus the cork. The one Randy bought me used yarn, but we feel that braided candlewick is safer. Thread the wick through the copper tubing, leaving about ½" above the top of the tubing to light. If the wick slips too easily through the tubing, you can crimp the top of the tube (after the wick has been pulled up through it) slightly with a pair of pliers or channel locks.
The second cork is to be used to tightly seal your candle when you are not using it. This will prevent evaporation of the oil and help prevent an accidental spill.
Next, push dried natural materials into the bottle, filling it loosely about two-thirds of the way. We used pieces from some old potpourri that had lost its scent. You can gather and dry your own materials, too, using silica gel and your microwave (see instructions for everlastings on page 51). A walk through the closest woods during the fall can yield many naturally dried materials to the observant collector. Senna pods, tiny fir cones, miniature acorns, and the dried tops of wild grasses all have a beauty of their own. Dried cockscomb, rosebuds, and strawflowers add color to the variety of earth tones.
Use a small funnel to add lamp oil to within 2" of the top of the neck of the bottle. (Hint: you can find lamp oil in most hardware stores and some drug and variety stores. Large chain stores like Wal-Mart and K-Mart also sell this oil, along with decorative oil lamps, especially during the Christmas season. The oil comes in clear, unscented, and colored and scented types.)
Some dried materials float, so if it seems as if you need more, you can pour back some of the oil and add more dried materials until it makes a pretty arrangement in the bottle.
Push the long end of the wick down into the bottle. It will tend to float or curl up at the top, but that is okay. The extra length will stay with the level of oil; each time the lamp is lit the wick will need to be pulled up and trimmed. An ice pick may help to push it down a little into the top of your dried materials. Put in the cork and allow the wick to soak up some of the oil. In just a few minutes, your oil candle is ready to light.
If you plan on presenting your oil candle as a gift, do not add the wick mechanism and cork. Instead, tightly cork the bottle with a plain, uncut cork and present the wick mechanism in a small bag tied to the oil candle. If you like, you can tie a ribbon around the neck of the candle. We liked the shape of a bottle that had a screw-on cap, so we circled the top of this bottle with fabric paint and allowed it to dry; it made a colorful decorative ring at the neck of the bottle and covered the screw threading.
This craft is from the late Ann Ball's Catholic Traditions in the Home and Classroom. Order it online here»
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