Circle of life: a tranquil medicine wheel garden is inspired by centuries of Native American tradition.A recent trip to Arkansas revealed a treasure trove TREASURE TROVE. Found treasure. 2. This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, which having been hidden or concealed in the earth or other private place, so long that its owner is unknown, has been discovered by accident. of discoveries--Three Sisters Stew, blue comfrey comfrey Any herb of the Eurasian genus Symphytum (borage family). Best known is the medicinal common comfrey (S. officinale), used to treat wounds and as a source of a gum used to treat wool. Traditionally it was also taken internally for various complaints. , Red Hat Clubs, and, most fascinating to me, the medicine wheel garden. Designing a new garden was the last thing on my mind as I strolled the paths of the Blue Springs Heritage Center The Blue Springs Heritage Center 33 acres (13.4 hectares), formerly the Eureka Springs Gardens, is a historic tourist attraction containing native plants and hardwood trees in a setting of woodlands, meadows, and hillsides. in Eureka Springs, enjoying the crispness of a not-quite-spring day with my daughter and sister. When we wandered upon a circle of stones with plants scattered Scattered Used for listed equity securities. Unconcentrated buy or sell interest. about, we had no idea what we had discovered, but it certainly piqued our interest. Because spring was just creeping creeping 1. gradual progression of a lesion or tissue growth. 2. prostrate growth pattern of a plant, e.g. c. buttercup (Ranunculus repens), c. caustic (Euphorbia drummondii), c. charlie (Glechoma hederacea), c. into the area and many of the plants were summer-growing herbs, the garden was not beautiful at that time of year, but it drew me in. I felt at home within the stones and wanted to learn more. The concept of the medicine wheel garden originated with the sacred medicine wheels Medicine wheels were commonly used by North American natives such as the Ojibwa and prehistoric ancestors of the Assiniboine. They are made by placing rocks down into a circle shape, and four lines or more of rocks are put down across the circle, or near the circle. found in Native American culture, so-called because they are patterned like a wheel, with a small inner circle, a larger outer circle, and spokes that connect them together. The circles and the spokes are formed with stones, each of which represents a significant entity in Native American culture. The wheel symbolizes the circle of life through which we all pass, changing with each season. The number four is an essential part of the medicine wheel garden. There are four sections within the wheel, and each of these sections represents one of the four directions (east, south, west, north); one of the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter); one of the four elements (air, fire, earth, water); one of the four phases of life (birth, youth, adulthood, old age); and one of the four aspects of self (mind, body, emotion, spirit). Each section is represented by a color, a plant, an animal, and a time of day. Some sources even relate that each of the four races of man is represented within the circle. As I began my journey into the history of the medicine wheel, I found that sources differed somewhat, so I attempted to encompass the most recurring re·cur intr.v. re·curred, re·cur·ring, re·curs 1. To happen, come up, or show up again or repeatedly. 2. To return to one's attention or memory. 3. To return in thought or discourse. themes and fashioned my garden from these. I wanted each section of the garden to be truly representative of all of the aspects deemed important in Native American culture. For example, the east garden must have the color yellow, something to represent all something to represent spring, and so forth. Personal preference also plays a part in designing the medicine wheel garden, so it can truly become what the individual gardener wishes it to be. I chose a sunny meadow site next to the path I take every morning to the barn. A medicine wheel garden can be in the open or surrounded by woods, it can be sunny or shady, and size does not matter. It should be close at hand, however, so that walking through it becomes a daily pleasure. Make your inner circle any size you like, but place seven stones to mark the perimeter. An eighth stone goes in the center of the circle, or you may prefer to use several smaller stones to form a cairn cairn, pile of stones, usually conical in shape, raised as a landmark or a memorial. In prehistoric times it was usually erected over a burial. A barrow is sometimes called a cairn. as I did. Next, after determining your north, south, east, and west directions, lay the directional stones at each of these sites. Three stones should be added to the outer circle between each of the directional stones for a total of 16 stones in the outer circle. Then place three stones in a line from the inner circle to each of the directional stones for a total of 12 stones forming the spokes. I was lucky to have plenty of "souvenir" stones on hand, collected over the years from roadsides across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . I also habitually HABITUALLY. Customarily, by habit. or frequent use or practice, or so frequently, as to show a design of repeating the same act. 2 N. S. 622: 1 Mart. Lo. R. 149. 2. gather unique found objects, such as an old red tractor seat, dilapidated tin tubs, driftwood, and cedar stumps. The owl that is now in the medicine wheel garden had failed miserably at keeping the birds away from my fruit trees, so I put him to better use, and the miniature wolf that had been making his home on a flowerpot looks much better perched on a cedar log in the medicine wheel garden. Storms had downed several large sycamore sycamore: see plane tree. sycamore Any of several distinct trees called by the same name though in different genera and families. In the U.S. the term refers to the American plane tree or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis), a hardy street tree. limbs and cedar trees. The white bark bark, sailing vessel bark or barque (both: bärk), sailing vessel with three masts, of which the mainmast and the foremast are square-rigged while the mizzenmast is fore-and-aft-rigged. of the sycamore looks perfect in the northern section of the garden, and a cedar trunk looks resplendent re·splen·dent adj. Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin resplend as a bottle tree standing between the south and west sections. The bottle tree not only adds a touch of Southern whimsy whim·sy also whim·sey n. pl. whim·sies also whim·seys 1. An odd or fanciful idea; a whim. 2. A quaint or fanciful quality: stories full of whimsy. to the garden, it is also the perfect place to hang bottles in the color of the west garden; wind chimes wind chimes pl.n. An arrangement of small suspended pieces, as of glass, metal, or ceramic, hung loosely together so that they tinkle pleasingly when blown by the wind. Also called wind-bells. representing air; an old tin star; miniature painted flowerpots; and wolf, eagle, and buffalo charms. One of the additions to the garden that always brings a smile is a yellow ducky in a tub of water hyacinths water hyacinth: see pickerelweed. water hyacinth Any of about five species of aquatic plants that make up the genus Eichhornia of the pickerelweed family (Pontederiaceae). They are native mainly to the New World tropics. . The hyacinths represent water and the color purple, two features needed in the west garden. Once the bones were laid, I began to add plants to the garden, keeping in mind that the stones should remain visible and that there should be enough open spaces to allow ease of movement within the circle. Because the meadow is a deer magnet, I chose plants that are mostly deer-resistant. I also wanted plants that are drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, so I planted several types of herbs, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage cabbage, leafy garden vegetable of many widely dissimilar varieties, all probably descended from the wild, or sea, cabbage (Brassica oleracea) of the family Cruciferae (mustard family), found on the coasts of Europe. , and many perennials. The sacred herbs sweetgrass, tobacco, sage, and cedar are also planted here. My medicine wheel garden will change as the seasons change, with tender new growth in spring and more vibrant and productive plants in the summertime. As autumn gives way to winter, the garden will become less active so that the rustling grasses, bottle tree, and stones are all that remain visible. However it changes, I want to remember that it is a sacred space sacred space, n space—tangible or otherwise—that enables those who acknowledge and accept it to feel reverence and connection with the spiritual. and should remain uncluttered and carefree. I envision pumpkins and corn shocks during autumn, candles glowing atop the stones for stargazing star·gaze intr.v. star·gazed, star·gaz·ing, star·gaz·es 1. To gaze at the stars. 2. To daydream. Noun 1. nights, and tin stars and peanut butter-slathered pinecones hanging from the bottle tree at Christmastime. For now, I'm happy to sit on my stump seat enjoying the garden's serenity. Nature abounds--spiders spinning their gauzy webs, bluebirds perched in the bottle tree, butterflies floating among the flowers. The medicine wheel garden honors nature's seasonal cycles, and as the garden changes, the circle of life continues. I found no source that listed the necessary components of the medicine wheel garden in an easy-to visualize format, so I made my own list before beginning my medicine wheel garden:
essential
garden elements
EAST SOUTH WEST
COLOR Yellow Red Black, blue, purple
ELEMENT Air Fire Water
SEASON Spring Summer Autumn
PHASE OF LIFE Birth Youth Adulthood
ASPECT OF SELF Mind Body Emotion
ANIMAL Owl, hawk, eagle Wolf Turtle
PLANT Tobacco Cedar Sage
TIME OF DAY Dawn, sunrise Midday Twilight/sunset
EAST NORTH
COLOR White
ELEMENT Earth
SEASON Winter
PHASE OF LIFE Old age
ASPECT OF SELF Spirit
ANIMAL Buffalo
PLANT Sweetgrass
TIME OF DAY Past midnight
plant picks One of the most appealing qualities of the medicine wheel garden is the wide variety of gardening designs that can be used successfully. Native plants, wildflowers, heirlooms, herbs, and perennials work well for me, but the choices are virtually endless. I chose mostly medicinal medicinal /me·dic·i·nal/ (mi-dis´in-il) having healing qualities; pertaining to a medicine. me·dic·i·nal adj. Of, relating to, or having the properties of medicine. and culinary plants, with a few annuals and perennials added for seasonal color. The color of the blossoms, leaves, and fruit must be kept in mind so that yellows and oranges are prevalent in the east garden; reds in the south garden; purples, blues, and blacks in the west garden; and whites in the north garden. I have chosen to include tobacco and sweetgrass because they are two of the sacred Native American plants, along with sage and cedar, which are already in the garden. My other plant choices include: East garden (yellow): Snapdragon Marigold Nasturtium Banana pepper Lemon balm Sweet potato vine Lemon thyme Yellow coneflower South garden (red): Tomato "Million bells" calibrachoa Red verbena Pentas Pomegranate Bottlebrush tree Dianthus Lantana West garden (blue/purple): Barberry "Purple majesty" millet Fountain grass Ageratum Iris Red (purple) cabbage Foxglove Basil Rosemary Sage North garden (white): Petunia Water mint Dianthus Bell pepper Sweetgrass Cleome Phlox Dusty miller Pentas |
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