Wendy Plowman has been a gardener all of her life. She has extensive nursery experience, is a master gardener and has studied plants of the Bible for decades. Recently she presented a very informative program for The Rosemary House. She began by explaining some of the challenges with studying the plants of the Bible in that the Hebrews weren't scientists/botanists and plants are often misnamed. Additionally, different versions of the Bibles give us different names. She also introduced to us that today we have a clearer picture that there are over 2,500 native plants in Palestine.
Her comprehensive view of plants of the Bible included the trees, fruits, barks, gourds, foods, incense, lamp oils, cultivated plants, wild crafted plants, flowers, plants used to make tablecloths and garments, plants used for decoration such as henna, and symbolic plants. The evening was completed with some hot tea and scripture cake.
I would of loved her class. I was amazed at all the plants I saw in Israel in 1999. At the garden tomb there were pomegranites and I still remember all the pepperberry trees there. They get little rain so water is precious - every drop carefully protected.
ReplyDeleteI would have enjoyed this program, I'm sure! I always wonder which herbs the Bible is talking about it when it speaks of them, and I'm sure your speaker would know.
ReplyDeleteFascinating that there are so many in Palestine.
ReplyDeleteAs a retired Master Gardener I can appreciate the research Wendy would have done for this presentation. A topic like this is thinking outside of the box and something I would love to hear. I once wrote one of my gardening columns on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon which generated good interest.
ReplyDeleteMoving on to read about the scripture cake.