Growing Through the Cracks
OSGF
It’s no secret that Bunny Mellon had an eye for detail. This was represented throughout every facet of her life, home, and personal style. Even down to the smallest of spaces, her keen sense of design was at play. This was evident too in the gardens she designed at Oak Spring. In what’s referred to as the Upper Terrace garden, Bunny’s careful hand was at play throughout its construction.
In 1968 Mrs. Mellon decided to remove the original lawn that was struggling to thrive and in it’s place, large irregular fieldstone pieces were put down. The stone was quarried in nearby Warrenton and was hand laid by stonemason Tommy Reed, who has been with the Mellon’s since 1972, and Harold Lovett (now retired). As the story goes, during the construction of the Upper Terrace, one of the stone corners cracked off. Instead of replacing the stone Bunny insisted on leaving it and even went a step further to hammer off a few more corners. She then sprinkled out seeds into the gaps which are now, at the height of our Virginia summer, are spilling out with tiny herbs and fragrant foliage.
Read on to learn more about a few of the plants populating the crevices of Upper Terrace gardens.
Thyme
Bravery, courage, strength are all positive attributes to have. They are also all symbols ascribed to thyme (Thymus sp.). Indispensable as a kitchen staple, this herbaceous perennial thrives in the hot sun and is pest-averse. This is due to the foliage being full of compounds like flavonoids and antioxidants which are rich in minerals and vitamins and are what give it the flavor that is so prized. Thyme is native to the calcareous and rocky soils of mediterranean countries of Europe like Italy and Greece, which have experienced some of the hottest summers on record.
Thyme is derived from the Greek word thymon meaning to offer sacrifice. Others believe it to be derived from the word thumos, which signifies courage. In either case, the herb has been featured heavily in European literature and culture. One example is found in the works of the classic Roman poet Ovid, who once wrote of “purple hills of flowering Hymettos”. Mount Hymettos is located right outside of Athens and growing on the sloped hills are carpets of Thymus capitatus. The purple flowers which emerge in June and July are pollinated by bees who are frequent visitors and go on to produce some of the best honey in the world. Greek garlands and crowns worn during parties often featured thyme and the Geek physician Dioscorides references thyme often, recommending it for stomach ills, asthma, and dissolving blood clots and describes that it “finds distinguished uses as the healthy man’s seasoning.” Today it’s still valued for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
At Oak Spring we grow several different species and cultivars, a few include Thymus serphyllum ‘Pink Chintz’, Thymus ‘Carbon Wine and Roses’, and Thymus praecox ‘Albiflorus’, all of which are creeping thymes, which flower during the month of July.
Artemisia ludoviciana
Artemisia ludoviciana is native to western North America as well as Mexico but has widespread recordings throughout the continent. This herbaceous perennial is most notable for its silvery leaves covered in dense tiny hairs which protect the foliage from pest damage. One notable exception is cudweed grasshopper, which has evolved a relationship with the plant allowing them to feed on the leaves. Because of its wide distribution, the foliage has been used by Indigenous peoples for both medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Blackfeet Nation members use it to cleanse singers in the All Smoking ceremony (Kano’tsisissin), an all night ritual of singing, prayer, and smoking of ceremonial pipes. It’s sometimes also used to cleanse the body of participants and as the Holy Offering in the ceremony. Similar smoking ceremonies were recorded from ancient Egypt, in honor of the god Isis.
The genus Artemisia is named after the Greek goddess of hunting and the wilderness, who was supposedly the first to recognize the healing properties of the plant. One specific cultivar grown at Oak Spring is ‘Valerie Finnis,’ named in tribute to the English gardener, plantswoman, and photographer. Valerie spent her adult life attending Waterperry Horticultural School for Women under the tutelage of Miss. Havergal. Even after she graduated, Valerie stayed on as an instructor for almost 30 years. She became known for her flair and inclusion of lesser known species in the garden and for her knowledge of alpine plants.
Silene coronaria 'Alba'
A group of both perennials and biennials, rose campions are a member of the Caryophyllaceae family which includes plants like carnations and baby’s breath. Another synonym is Lychnis, which has its roots in the Greek word lychno, which means lamp, which was ascribed by the philosopher and botanist Theophrastus. It’s believed that this is in reference to the use of the leaves as wicks in early lamps. Campion is the 16th century iteration of the word ‘champion,’ which references crowns for winning athletes that were fashioned from the foliage.
Like with Artemesia, the foliage of Silene has tiny, sticky hairs called trichomes which are a strong deterrent against pests. The roots of Silene (as is the case with many plants in this family) contain saponins, a compound which is only released after boiling. This results in a distinct foaming characteristic, which has led to the use of plants high in saponin content to be used as soap, which is reflected in the root of the Latin word sapo.
Lavender
Speaking of soap, with the plethora of different soaps and detergents, it’s difficult to imagine a time when there was anything different. Today we have our pick of whatever scents we want but lavender is still a tried and true staple which has been incorporated into soaps and scents all the way back to ancient times. But unlike today, it wasn’t as readily available, which means it was more expensive to have. In fact, back in the 1700's the cost of soap was twice as much as a whole pig thanks to imposed taxes on ‘luxury’ goods. Lavender's association with soaps is even rooted in its name, with the Latin word lavare meaning ‘to wash’.
Traditionally lavender has symbolized luck, devotion, and conversely, mistrust. Lavandula angustifolia (syn. Lavandula latifolia) largely thrives in the chalky soils of the Mediterranean and in the mountainous, high altitude regions of Italy, France and Spain. The region of Provence France is perhaps the most recognizable part of the world that, until recently, was responsible for growing the most lavender and lavindin (Lavandula x intermedia). Now, Belgium has overtaken France as the top producer as French farmers continue to reassess their farming practices due to increased effects of climate change.
Bumble bees, honeybees and butterflies flock to the purple flowers of Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' and Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal'.
Some last honorable mentions:
References:
Firth, J. (2019). Kano’Tsisissin (all-night smoke ceremony) (gun- oat- sis- sis- in) say all together. Supporting Indigenous Sharing Network. https://www.sisn.ca/event/kanotsisissin-all-night-smoke-ceremony-gun-oat-sis-sis-in-say-all-together/
Grivetti, L. E. (n.d.). Thyme. Nutritional Geography. https://nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu/thyme/
Heilmeyer, M. (2007). Ancient herbs. J. Paul Getty Museum.
Moerman, D. E. (2010). Native American ethnobotany. Timber Press.
Pepion, D. D. (2000). Blackfoot ceremony: A qualitative study of learning (dissertation). University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI.
Scoble, G., & Field, A. (2001). The meaning of herbs: Myth, Language & Lore. Chronicle Books.
Sherilyn G. F. Smith, and Gerald L. Kreitner. “Trichomes in Artemisia Ludoviciana Nutt. (Asteraceae) and Their Ingestion by Hypochlora Alba (Dodge) (Orthoptera: Acrididae).” The American Midland Naturalist, vol. 110, no. 1, 1983, pp. 118–23. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2425217. Accessed 16 July 2023.
Wells, D., & Wells, D. (1997). 100 flowers: And how they got their names. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.