Public gardens – the beautiful centerpieces to cities and large communities. Filled with different assortments of flora and fauna, they are the bright and colorful beacon in the middle of a large and dully-colored metropolis. They’re a reminder of the beauty that nature holds, a great place for picnics, and taking kids out for a play date. But where did the first public garden originate and when?
Mesopotamia, the “land between the Rivers” Tigris and Euphrates, comprises a hilly and mountainous northern area and a flat, alluvial south. Its peoples were urban and literate from about 3,000 BC. Evidence for their gardens comes from written texts, pictorial sculpture, and archaeology. In western tradition, Mesopotamia was the location of the Garden of Eden and the Hanging gardens of Babylon. Temple gardens developed from the representation of a sacred grove. Several distinct styles of royal garden are also known.
The courtyard garden was enclosed by the walls of a palace. On a larger scale was a cultivated place inside the city walls. At Mari on the Middle Euphrates (c 1,800BC) one of the huge palace courtyards was called the Court of the Palms. It is crossed by raised walkways of baked brick; the king and his entourage would dine there. At Ugarit (1,400BC) there was a stone water basin, not located centrally as in later Persian gardens, for the central feature was probably a tree (date palm or tamarisk). The 7th century BC Assyrian king Assurbanipal is shown on a sculpture feasting with his queen, reclining on a couch beneath an arbor of vines, and attended by musicians. Trophies of conquest are on display, including the dismembered head of the king of Elam hanging from a fragrant pine branch! A Babylonian text from the same period is divided into sections as if showing beds of soil with the names of medicinal, vegetable, and herbal plants written into each square, perhaps representing a parterre design.
On a larger scale, royal hunting parks were established to hold the exotic animals and plants which the king had acquired on his foreign campaigns. King Tiglath Pileser I (1,000BC) lists horses, oxen, asses, deer, gazelle, and ibex, boasting “I numbered them like flocks of sheep.”
From around 1,000 BC the Assyrian kings developed a style of city gardening incorporating a naturalistic layout, running water supplied from river headwaters, and exotic plants from their foreign campaigns. Assurnasirpal II (883-859BC) lists pines of different kinds, including cypresses, junipers, almonds, dates, ebony, rosewood, olive, oak, tamarisk, walnut, terebinth, ash, fir pomegranate, pear, quince, fig and grapevines. “The canal water gushes from above into the gardens; fragrance pervades the walkways; streams of water as numerous as the stars of heaven flow in the pleasure garden…. Like a squirrel I pick fruit in the garden of delights.” The city garden reached its zenith with the palace design of Sennacherib(704-681BC) whose water system stretched for 50 km into the hills. The garden was higher and more ornate than any other and he boasted of the complex technologies he deployed, calling his garden palace “a Wonder for all Peoples”.
The biblical Book of Genesis mentions the Tigris and Euphrates as two of the four rivers bounding the Garden of Eden. No specific place has been identified although there are many theories.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are listed by classical Greek writers as one of the Seven Wonders of The World. The excavated ruins of Babylon do not reveal any suitable evidence, which has led some scholars to suggest that they may have been purely legendary. Mesopotamia is believed to be the origin of the public garden and we’d have to say we don’t disagree.
How to Celebrate Public Gardens Day
From roses to chrysanthemums, all we have to do is go outside to a public garden and admire the variety of flora. The beauty of nature is not one to take lightly. So, let’s get out there! Maybe we can even plant our own gardens to add some color to our homes.
thanks for the spring puddle laughs, PattyFrom roses to chrysanthemums, all we have to do is go outside to a public garden and admire the variety of flora. The beauty of nature is not one to take lightly. So, let’s get out there! Maybe we can even plant our own gardens to add some color to our homes.
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate. | ||
| Synonyms: | headstrong, self-willed, willful | ||
| Usage: | Her siblings were obedient and well-behaved, but she was froward and stubborn. | ||
Idiom of the Day
in the hope that— With the expectation, intention, or desire that (something will happen). |
History
England's Lincoln Cathedral Is Consecrated (1092)
Not long after William the Conqueror named Remigius de Fécamp bishop of what was then the largest diocese in the country, he decided to move the seat of the diocese to a more central location. For the next 20 years, Remigius oversaw construction of a magnificent new cathedral in Lincoln, only to die days before its consecration. Today, its architecture is considered to be priceless.
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Howard Carter (1874)
An experienced archaeologist and Egyptologist, Carter began searching for the long lost tomb of the ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun in the early 1900s, excavating Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt, through funding by his financial backer, Lord Carnarvon. In 1922, Carnarvon gave Carter one last season to make a discovery. He did, unearthing the pristine, treasure-filled tomb that became world famous.
Be Kind to Animals Week
| Be Kind to Animals Week was first observed in 1915. Established by Dr. William O. Stillman, the leader of the American Humane Association at the time, this week was dedicated to helping animals and to publicizing the achievements of the nation's humane societies. Today, Be Kind to Animals week is observed by thousands of animal shelters across the country in the first full week of May. They host special media events, promote education on the humane treatment of animals, and try to remind people of the debt that humankind owes to both wild and domestic animals. |
From Hubble's Vantage, Space Is a Crowded Place
To the naked eye, space can sometimes seem like a lonely place. But as rendered by the Hubble Space Telescope, the cosmos appears crowded. A new image captured by Hubble showcases Abell 370, a massive galaxy cluster featuring several hundred galaxies.
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From Hubble's vantage, space is a crowded place
1754 - The first newspaper cartoon in America showed a divided snake "Join or die" in "The Pennsylvania Gazette."
1785 - Joseph Bramah patented the beer-pump handle.
1825 - The Chatham Theatre opened in New York City. It was the first gas-lit theater in America.
1901 - In Australia, the Duke of Cornwall and York declared the First Commonwealth Parliament open.
1926 - Americans Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett became the first men to fly an airplane over the North Pole.
1930 - A starting gate was used to start a Triple Crown race for the first time.
1944 - Jimmie Davis became the Governor of Louisiana. He wrote the song "You Are My Sunshine."
1958 - Richard Burton made his network television debut in the presentation of "Wuthering Heights" on CBS-TV.
1960 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for sale an oral birth-control pill for the first time.
1962 - A laser beam was successfully bounced off Moon for the first time.
1994 - Nelson Mandela was chosen to be South Africa's first black president.
1.
National Nurses Week - May 6 - 12
Supported by the American Nurses Association, National Nurses Week celebrates nurses and their role in society. The week also helps to raise awareness about nursing as a possible career choice and also to educate the public about the kind of work nurses are involved in.
To coincide with Florence Nightingale's birthday (12th of May), National Nurses Week begins on the 6th of May and finishes on the 12th of May each year. National Student Nurses Week also coincides with National Student Nurses Day which is on the 8th of May each year.
2. Payette Apple Blossom Festival 2017
May 8-14, 2017
Central Park
North 9th Street
North 9th Street
Payette, ID
During the second week of may every year, Payette serves up a tasty, fun-filled family festival. No matter how you slice it, the Apple Blossom Festival is chock full of activities, from a community ice cream social, free concerts in Central Park and a colorful parade to carnival rides, a car show and a drag race. Top off the day with a gigantic fireworks show and you’ll see why this fest is so popular in Payette and surrounding areas.
further information: 2017 Payette Apple Blossom Festival - Payette, ID - Fairs and Festivals FairsandFestivals.net
3.
West Tennessee Strawberry Festival 2017
May 7-13, 2017
Humboldt, TN
The West Tennessee Strawberry Festival is a treasured tradition in small town Humboldt, Tennessee. Created to promote the booming strawberry industry in 1934, the festival has since grown into a beloved annual event that features a colorful parade, carnival, arts & crafts show, horse shows, beauty contests and many more activities and events.
further information: Strawberry Festival
Kilgore Film Festival 2017
Apr 19 - May 11, 2017
4 Star Cinema
1607 US-259 BUS|
Kilgore, TX
Those streaming services sure have gone dry. If D-grade films don’t interest you, then take your cinema-loving self to the Kilgore Film Festival and treat yourself to a selection of unique films. If they had ever hit mainstream theaters, they’d get blown out of the water by unnecessary remakes and films starring Nicolas Cage. These truly limited-releases are award-winning, thought-provoking and quality cinema that demands your attention.
further information: Security Check Required
William J. Duane (1780–1865) was an Irish-born American politician and lawyer from Pennsylvania. Born in Clonmel, Duane emigrated to the United States with his parents and assisted his father in publishing the Aurora until 1806. After becoming an influential lawyer, he served several terms in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Duane served as United States Secretary of the Treasury for some four months in 1833; his refusal to withdraw Federal deposits from the Second Bank of the United States led to his dismissal by President Andrew Jackson.
ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN, DUBLIN, FROM ABOVE
St Stephen’s Green is a 22 acre park that has been around since 1664 (although it only opened to the public in 1880)
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knit
thanks, Adele
Elegant Wedding Pillow
knit
thanks, Sally
(who reminds us that no seaming is necessary here)
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
crochet - MOTHER'S DAY
crochet
crochet
thanks, Bertha
crochet
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Émile et Émilie, rats des champs pattern by Raymonde Mé...
Ceci est en parti une traduction, vous trouverez le lien du tuto original dans le bas de l’article
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crochet
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
Botanic Gardens, Berlin
CROCKPOT RECIPE
Royal Botanic Gardens, London
SWEETS
thanks, Carol
Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS - MOTHER'S DAY
Foam Sponge Stamp
This blogger made their own stamp by cutting off the corners of sponges, then using them to decorate a pair of black flats. You can add details with a Sharpie pen.
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... MOTHER'S DAY
The Japanese garden in Edmonton's Devonian Botanic Garden
PUZZLE
Turtle Right Jigsaw Puzzle
Wellington Botanic Garden
WORD SEARCH
| agent anger answer around behind break chest circle cripple | dent defensive doubt enter exchange feel field front | government great legal listen page penetrate penguin | range receive rest retain return share stamp | toes tough tracks travel treat valley veer |
Denver Botanic Gardens
QUOTE
VanDusen Botanical Garden maze
Tofino Botanical Garden
CLEVER
thanks, Tina
FLOWERS WITH FLAVOR
Montreal Botanical Gardens
EYE OPENER
thanks, Ida
This ‘104-Year-Old’ Grandpa Has More Swag Than You
(he's not THAT old cause you cant believe everything online!)
nextshark
Günther Krabbenhӧft, a stylish “104-year-old” grandpa, was recently photographer in Berlin by the Kotbusser Tor station. His impeccable sense of style caught notice of the internet, where he found a number of admirers.
Krabbenhӧft responded online:
“I find that I dress pretty normal. I’ve always dressed like this. When I went to work, when I go to exercise. I want to look at myself with joy. It’s always a reflection of my inner self.”
Public Gardens Day is the 12th...........but always good to get ready early.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping on top of issues that must be corrected, Patty. I went back to my source and it says that today is the right day. However, I kept looking into it and I found that other sites have the Public Gardens Day on the 12th. Go know .. the internet sometimes doesn't give wholly correct information!!! What a surprise!
ReplyDeleteLet's just celebrate it always and visited our nearest Pubic Gardens on ANY day whatsoever ... mmm
I agree..............any day in a garden is a good one!
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