Who would have thought that our Gardening Club talk in April would include bagpipe playing?! We enjoyed an entertaining exploration of historic Easter and Spring traditions with music and flowers by Michael Brown, the \u2018historic gardener\u2019. He took us from the Feast of Candlemas in February to Whitsun in May. Here are a few of those traditions\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Candlemas, when the church candles are blessed, if it\u2019s sunny, winter will continue; but if it\u2019s rainy, winter is over! In Tudor times Snowdrops were called \u2018Candlemas bells\u2019. A high church tradition is to leave Christmas decorations up until that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We know the saying \u201cIf March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb\u201d and 1st<\/sup> March, St David\u2019s Day, is apparently when the fleas wake up! Until 1754 the New Year was on 25th<\/sup> March, the Feast of the Annunciation, and it was at that point that Michael treated us to a bagpipe carol celebrating the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Shrove Tuesday the pancake race started in Olney in 1445: a woman, late for church, ran along with her pancakes. It\u2019s now a global event! It\u2019s followed by Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, when eggs, cheese and milk were given up; and it was not a good idea to marry in Lent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Mothering Sunday maids went home with violets and Simnel cake with 11 marzipan balls, each one a disciple (all except Judas). This is the time for primroses (named after Primavera), wood anemones and toothwort (good for curing toothache). Barley was sown when the blackthorn was flowering. Pax cakes were made to show fellowship with your neighbours on Palm Sunday. The Maundy Money was first distributed by King John in Winchester, one coin for each year of the reign. Hot cross buns were first made in St Albans in 1361 but beware, if you brew or bake on Good Friday, your house will burn down!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Easter flowers include the Pasque flower and the Crown Imperial with its hanging head. The Romans brought traditions around the goddess of fertility, Eostre: rabbits, hares and eggs – the first Easter eggs were red. 150 years ago the famous Faberg\u00e9 eggs appeared and Cadbury\u2019s made the first creme egg! \u2018Rain on Easter Day brings good hay\u2019 and Michael sang us a stirring song used by the Morris Men on Easter Monday to raise money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st<\/sup> April and it\u2019s April Fool\u2019s Day and the famous spaghetti tree! The cuckoo arrives in April, sings her song in May, changes her tune in June, and in July she flies away. Michael sang for us: \u2018Sumer is icumen in\u2019. 23rd<\/sup> April is St George\u2019s Day, particularly important in Thriplow, and by now his Bluebells are flowering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael played the tune \u201cIn May\u201d on his recorder and the Maypole tune on his guitar to introduce May Day customs. We know the famous saying \u201cDon\u2019t cast a clout till May be out\u201d \u2013 this refers to hawthorn flowers and not the end of the month. Never bring unlucky hawthorn into the house although it makes a nice liqueur with brandy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ended with Whitsun which sees the Tissington well dressing with moss and flower petals, and the Brockworth cheese rolling competition. And this was the end of our tour of quaint English customs!<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Who would have thought that our Gardening Club talk in April would include bagpipe playing?! We enjoyed an entertaining exploration of historic Easter and Spring traditions with music and flowers by Michael Brown, the \u2018historic gardener\u2019. He took us from … Continue reading