"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Friday, August 5, 2011

Among the honeysuckles.....

...is where you will find me. At Cranberry Cottage, our living fence is bursting with green, flowers and berries this year. We are now completely surrounded in green as we sit in the garden. We look out to the woods on one side...

We also have a fully grown living fence now against the drive of the next cottage. We planted up a number of honeysuckle vines when we put in the fence as this is a natural plant in wooded gardens. They are just bursting with blossom even decorating our wood shed with their beauty...

In the language of flowers, honeysuckle is a symbol of devoted love and sweetness of disposition. It was considered a bond of love when a Victorian gentleman included it in a bouquet of flowers given to a lady. But the folklore I think I love the most is that it is said to protect a garden from evil and induce dreams of love. How sweet is that (pun intended)?


Dante Gabriel Rossetti painted Jane Morris holding a honeysuckle vine in his painting The Day Dream.

"...how sweetly smells the honeysuckle in the hush'd night..."
~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Enjoy your weekend!

10 comments:

Jackie's Stitches said...

I love the smell of honeysuckle - even on a really hot day! Your garden is just beautiful.

Willy said...

Hoi Heidi je hebt een prachtig schilderij bij de plant weten te vinden. Wat mooi begroeid is het schuurtje.
Fijn weekend, groetjes

Carolien said...

Have a great weekend at CC, dear friend!

Groetjes, ook aan Jos natuurlijk & hugs, Carolien

Anonymous said...

The photos and paintings on your posts are so beautiful.

Annie said...

This post is so beautiful ! Thanks to you ! I like honeysuckle vines and their sweet smell !

Nancy said...

It is hard to believe that grew that fast. It seems only yesterday you changed that border of your neighbors and put the vine in. Bet is smell so sweet too. Make some Potpourri for your house out of some of it.
Love you, Mom

angelasweby said...

Oh goodness, you have included one of my all time favourite paintings in your post this time. Nothing can evoke the delicious smell of honeysuckle and the serenity of a garden more than this painting. I studied Rossetti and the Pre Raphaelites and they remain one of my favourite group of artists. I love this deliciously sweet flower and it's romantic messages and do not need to imagine the beautiful garden I was lucky enough to sit in.

Such nice music too to accompany a visit to your blog :-)
Angela xx

Terri said...

I don't believe there is much honeysuckle in WNY. But when I was a kid in Kentucky, whole neighborhoods were perfumed with it all summer long. sigh....

Anonymous said...

Sweet Dreams Heidi.

Marie x

Saskia said...

Love the word honeysuckle. Much better than kamperfoelie...
But where did the name came from? Honey suckle? Where bees sucking the honey out of the flower??
I have two in my garden, and love them. And now I know that my garden is protected from evil!