"Winter Solstice - Pines etc"
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| Scientific Name: | Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. f. |
| Common Name: | A China Fir |
| Plant Family: | CUPRESSACEAE [TAXODIACEAE] |
A cold wind may blow but will we have more snow? We celebrate our Southern Hemisphere Winter Solstice on Wednesday, 21 June. Whilst not quite cold enough to necessitate the bringing indoors of a live tree in which the wood spirits can shelter, a recent “tidy-up” has provided us with a China Fir branch as a wonderful “Christmas Tree”.
Any plant which remains green during the cold Winter months is said to contain good Life Energy and can be used to celebrate the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun and the birth of the new solar year. Many conifers have been employed in this capacity by a variety of northern cultures as have ash, bay laurel, holly and mistletoe. The herbs: sage, lavender, rosemary, echinacea and red clover join this useful list. All of these plants are grown within the Garden.
A fall of snow in Katoomba more than 20 years ago prompted some Northern Hemisphere visitors to ask their hosts if a hot Christmas dinner could be provided. A lavish banquet was laid on and the Yulefest/Winter Wonderland tradition in the Blue Mountains began.
Yule logs, said to encourage the sun to shine more brightly, are traditionally oak or pine. The Mount Tomah collection includes 35 species of oak and 150 species within the ‘Conifer’ or ‘Pine’ group.
Walk from the Visitor Centre through the Residence Garden and you will pass holly trees before entering the Conifer Cultivar Garden. From here, find southern conifers within the Gondwana Walk or on the grassy slope below the pond. Resin fragrance from Mexican pines fills the air as you wander from the lowest Gondwana Walk entrance toward the Northern Pavilion, and perhaps onward to the Eurasian conifers surrounding the Brunet Pavilion.
Solstice bonfires in Scandinavian countries express hope, joy and a sense of community effort. Participants awaken to new goals and leave old regrets behind. A good way to welcome any part of the year!
Jan Allen
Records Officer