Growing plants and the connection to landscapes.

[sapito]

Not sure what sub-forum is most appropriate but this seems enough spirituality based for me to include it here.

Lately I have been reading about how peoples identities are interconnected with plants and landscapes and this then creates a connection with place. Some examples I came across were the increase of Australian people interested in growing plants native/indigenous to their specific locality which helped them to feel part of the land, much the same way Indigenous Australians connect to country through their relationships with plants and animals. Another example was backyard gardens of immigrants to Australia who grow a mix of old varieties of vegetables, which are essential elements of the food culture in their birth countries and thus reaffirm their connection to their country of origin, along side new vegetables and herbs common in Australian food culture which also represent their identity as Australian residents.

This led to the thought of how this applies to the entheo based gardeners. Many of the plants that are common in this area of interest are from various parts of the world with vastly different culture practices. By the time this plant is grown by someone in Australia who gained some information on the net and acquired a plant much of this cultural information is gone, however this is not always the case.

So I wonder what peoples thoughts are on how growing these plants influences their identity and connection to place? Does your research into the growing condition of various plants also increase your sense of connection to, and identification with the regions the plant is indigenous to? Or does growing these plants more so reinforce your your own personal connection with the land in which you do the growing?

Feel free to discuss outside of these pretty rigid questions.

[Gunter]

Does your research into the growing condition of various plants also increase your sense of connection to, and identification with the regions the plant is indigenous to? Or does growing these plants more so reinforce your your own personal connection with the land in which you do the growing?

One land, one planet, one people.

no divisions, no nationalism or regionalism.

That is for me, i can't speak for anyone else.

[∂an]

I actually was thinking about this just yesterday as I watered my acacia, psychotria and banisteriopsis plants. As I watered I said to the acacia, "here mate, meet your south american cousins – what do you think of them? hope it's okay they are growing here with you". The acacia indicated it was cool with a flutter of her leaves. I definitely feel a connection to the local land through the plants, especially the acacia-aboriginal-australia connection. Also gum trees have a special significance for me, when I see huge expansive forests of them all over australia it feels they are all forming a coherent single entity that transmits energy from the earth to the noosphere. I haven't felt a sense of the amazon through the psychotria and banisteriopsis plants yet, it more reinforces my sense of the local environment by observing how they adapt to it. But if morphogenetic fields exist, perhaps as they grow they will begin to transmit a sense of their ancestors and traditional habitat.

I also feel there is a certain daoistic teaching to be learnt from observing the way plants and fungi grow. They seem to try and teach us the most appropriate way to live through example – efficient use of resources, patience, and beauty.

[Abraxia]

I haven't given this much thought but recently I started growing traditional european herbs partly for cooking and partly because I want to become more acquainted with the medicinal properties. I plan on studying herblism and looking at using primarily Australian natives where possible. My sense of connection to the land is getting stronger and part of that is definitely a connection with flora.