Flowers of Lorien

[Eruannlass]

Suilad All,

This is an article I found in Domino magazine - http://www.dominomag.com/ -
about the same time I decided I wanted more Elven Quality in my life.  I found it about a week ago, and knew it has a lot more relevance than I originally thought.  I thought I'd share it, since I know we all have a little bit of a green thumb in us somewhere.

The Evening Garden

Maximize your garden's nocturnal appeal with scented white flowers, which reflect moonlight and are most fragrant at night - just when you'll be home to enjoy them.

Midsummer nights are the best time to hang out in a fragrant garden - the office is miles away, and it's too late to do any weeding.  As the light fades, red and purple blossoms disappear into darkness while these white, pale-yellow, or silver blooms wake up and glow in the available light - be it from the moon or, for city people, a street lamp or neighboring buildings.  Planting scented white blossoms can transform the smallest patch or balcony from a dim, dreary corner into a romantic spot that really shines.

Acidanthera - Plant these spicily fragrant Gladioulus bulbs in the spring, and they will bloom in just a few months.

Tuberose - For some, the sweet smell of these spring planted bulbs is overwhelming.  For others, it's a slice of heaven.

Datura - This annual's scent is as intoxicating as it is poisonous - don't grow it if you have small children or pets.

Nicotiana - Flowering tobacco remains scentless all day, then releases a jasmine-like fragrance after dusk.

Four o' clock - You can practically set your watch by this annual, which releases it scent every afternoon.

Night Phlox - You might never notice this tiny unassuming annual except for it's powerfully tropical aroma on warm summer nights.

Snow Queen Clematis - I was showing Rowan what a garden center looks like, and he said he's seen a flower like this growing in Lorien, so I included it here, too.  Here's the growing info - http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plan ... ?code=J830

Poppy - aka 'Fumellar' - Can't have a garden devoted to the Dream Lord without these, just be sure you have the California variety, or they will get taken out and you'll be immediatly arrested...  ::) http://www.gardenguides.com/plants/info ... cpoppy.asp
Whenever I've seen Irmo use one, it's always been red, though.

                                                                                                      Eruannlass
PS - bulbs available from  www.mzbulb.com
        annual seeds from www.seeds.thompson-morgan.com

[Meneldur Olvarion]

Wow, thanks for posting this!

I used to grow Moonflowers when I lived with my dad, and enjoyed the scent of their blossoms very much.

Also, when I was in Costa Rica, the scent of the blossoms of the Guanacaste trees (which was more apparent in the evening) was quite nice.

///Dave

[Eruannlass]

Hannon le, Aikanar,
It took some time to re type this and find all the pictures, so I'm glad for the kudos.  I hope to get a garden planted to honor my first patron Vala one of these years.  Another feature I want is a repeating sight for me in Lorien -
There is  a small pond surrounded by willow trees that reflects the light of Telperion.  He told me to go there soon and ponder a recent happening.  What I want to do is put in a reflecting pool that is lined up right to reflect to light of the moon when it's full.  That would be so cool.
                  Eruannlass

[Ellenar]

Really Eruannlass, this is a great post!  Thank you for sharing this with us.  I would like to add that an ambitious gardner may want to add a sapling of cypress, as they are connected with Lorien and the light of  Telperion.

Lo'rien too dwelt far away, and his hall was great and dimly lit and had wide gardens.  The place of his dwelling he called Murmuran, which Aule made of mists gathered beyond Arvalin upon the Shadowy Seas.  'Twas set in the South by the feet of the Mountains of Valinor upon the confines of the realm, but its gardens wandered marvellously about, winding nigh to the feet of Silpion (Telperion) whose shining lit them strangely.  They were full of labyrinths and mazes, for by Palu'rien had Lo'rien great wealth of yewtrees and cedars, and of pines that exuded drowsy odours in the dark; and these hung over deep pools.  Glowworms crept about their borders and Varda had set stars within their depths for the pleasure of Lo'rien, but his sprites sang wonderfully in these gardens and the scent of nightflowers and the songs of sleepy nightingales filled them with great loveliness.  There too grew the poppies growing redly in the dusk, and those the Gods (Valar) called fumellar the flowers of sleep - and Lo'rien used them much in his enchantments.  Amidmost of those pleasances was set within a ring of shadowy cypress towering high that deep vat Silindrin (the vat of Telperion's light). 

-The Book of Lost Tales 1, The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor

Note:  In the above quote, the bold words denote trees and flowers associated with Lo'rien.  The parenthsis contain points of clarification for the earlier terms utilized within the text.

[Eruannlass]

Regarding Cypress, I'll remember that.  There are many types of trees in Irmo's garden, but since I don't have a botany degree, I don't know all of them.  It was Rowan's pointing out the Clematis to me that gave me the final motivation to posting the garden info.  I was planning to anyway, but his regognition of another white flower clinched it...
                                                                                                                                    Eruannlass