Trista’s Garden
Trista’s garden is full of so much symbolism. It is so perfect that we could not have done a better job if we had planned it that way. All the symbolism in her garden has been discovered after the fact.
Lilies:
In English the lily is the flower of beauty, purity, and innocence.
Lilies symbolize that the soul of the departed has received restored innocence after death.
Hydrangeas:
Hydrangeas are a symbol expressing love, gratitude, being understood, and enlightenment. It is said that the observer can easily get lost in the abundance of beautiful petals, and thus gets lost in one's own thoughts – leading to higher thought and reaching enlightenment. The enlightenment we know Trista has now reached and we hope to reach one day.
Cactus:
The cactus symbolizes warmth, protection and endurance. The cactus flower is a symbol of maternal love because it can endure and thrive in harsh conditions and therefore symbolic of a mother's unconditional love. A mother's protective qualities are conveyed by the cactus flower due to its medicinal properties.
Roses:
Purity, happiness, joy, appreciation, and love
Petunias:
Petunias are sent to soothe negative emotions. They symbolize a soothing presence. They seem to whisper “Your presence soothes me” and Trista’s continued presence does soothe.
Irises:
Blessed with the colors of the rainbow and the purest white, the iris has been recognized as the dancing spirit of early summer. Perfect for a child born on the Summer Solstice, the very first day of Summer.
Its soft, fluttering petals remind the Chinese people of butterfly wings, flapping gently in the breeze. The flower is known as Tze Hu-tieh or "The Purple Butterfly”.
The iris's mythology dates back to Ancient Greece, when the goddess Iris, who personified the rainbow (the Greek word for iris), acted as the link between heaven and earth. It's said that purple irises were planted over the graves of women and girls to summon the goddess Iris to guide them in their journey to heaven. Iris was a companion to female souls on the way to the other world.
Angels:
1. A typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth.
2. A representation of such a being, especially in Christianity, conventionally in the image of a human figure with a halo and wings.
3. A guardian spirit or guiding influence.
4.
a. A kind and lovable person.
b. One who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness.
The Butterfly:
Death and Rebirth, Transformation.
Symbolic Butterfly Meanings
Time
Soul
Grace
Growth
Elegance
Expansion
Lightness
Surrender
Transition
Expression
Celebration
Resurrection
Vulnerability
In many cultures the butterfly is associated with the soul. In Greek myth, Psyche (which literally translates to mean "soul") is represented in the form of a butterfly. Befittingly, Psyche is forever linked with love as she and Eros (the Greek god of love) shared an endlessly passionate bond together - both hopelessly in love with the other.
“Soul =Love”
Christianity considers the butterfly as a symbol for the soul. The butterfly is depicted on ancient Christian tombs, as Christ has been illustrated holding a butterfly in Christian art.
The Dragonfly:
It is a symbol of joy and rebirth. In some Native American traditions, it is also symbol of the departed souls. For the Mayan, the dragonfly is the symbol of the goddess of creativity. The dragonfly is a symbol of metamorphosis and transformation, adaptability, Joy, lightness of being.
Hummingbird:
The hummingbird has powerful spiritual significance. In the Andes of South America the hummingbird is a symbol of resurrection. It seems to die on cold nights, but comes back to life again at sunrise.
Hummingbird is the creature that opens the heart. When the hurt that caused us to close our hearts gets a chance to heal, our hearts are free to open again.
It is not commonly known that the fluttering wings of the hummingbird move in the pattern of an infinity symbol - further solidifying their symbolism of eternity, continuity, and infinity.
Hens and Chicks (sempervium)
“Always Living”
The name sempervivum comes from the Latin words semper, meaning “always,” and vivus, meaning “living.”
They also symbolize the mother-child connection with the larger parts (the hens) being connected to the smaller plants (the chicks).
Rose Quartz:
The fair and lovely Rose Quartz, with its gentle pink essence, is a stone of the heart, a Crystal of Unconditional Love. It carries a soft feminine energy of compassion and peace, tenderness and healing, nourishment and comfort. It speaks directly to the Heart Chakra, dissolving emotional wounds, fears and resentments, and circulates a Divine loving energy throughout the entire aura. Reawakening the heart to its own innate love, it provides a deep sense of personal fulfillment and contentment, allowing one the capacity to truly give and receive love from others.
Called the Heart Stone, Rose Quartz may have been used as a love token as early as 600 B.C. and is still an important talisman of relationships. It is quite effective in developing a closer bond with family or friends. It supports connection within groups and community, and carries a high spiritual attunement to the Earth, Universe, and the Divine.
Rose Quartz also inspires the love of beauty, in self and others, in nature, and especially that which stimulates the imagination - art, music and the written word.