HAPPY NEW SPRING The first swallow to arrive, sees the flowers come alive When you spot little flowers peaking their heads out of the snow, strong and determined to survive despite March often being very cold, rest assured that winter is waning and new life is being born I n this article we’ll recount for you some interest- ing facts and even more entertaining legends, but nothing compares to walking in a nearby forest. Head out and explore some of Serbia’s green ex- panses, listen to the birdsong that’s proven to have a calming effect, breathe fully and enjoy observing the first colourful petals that proclaim the blossoming of new life. Winter is behind us; snowdrops, violets and hellebores have emerged, and they’re all saying “spring has arrived, rejoice!” Snowdrops Kukurek Ovaj cvetić javlja se uglavnom u zelenoj boji, ali može biti beo i ružičast. Helleborus serbicus ili srpski kukurek endemična je vrsta koja raste samo u Srbiji. Mitologija je ovu biljku široko proslavila. Herkul je na- vodno upravo kukurekom izlečio svoje ludilo, a veliki Aleksandar Makedonski je umro jer ga je isuviše dugo koristio kao lek. Prema hrišćanskom verovanju, ovaj cvet je nastao pre 2.000 godina kada je devojka došla u Vitlejem da pozdravi rođenje Božjeg sina. Nije imala šta da mu pokloni, zbog čega je bila veoma tužna. Uto se pojavio anđeo, dodirnuo krilima zemlju, a iz nje je iznikla božićna ruža (kukurek), pa je tek rođeni Hrist dobio i ovaj neobičan poklon na dar. According to legend, when Adam and Eve were first expelled from the Garden of Eden, they found them- selves in an icy winter and soon lost hope that it would ever end. An angel appeared and turned snowflakes in- to snowdrops, providing them with a sure sign that win- ter would soon give way to spring! Another myth has it that a flower similar to the snowdrop, referred to as a moly in the literature, helped Odysseus following the Trojan War and protected his life. It was formally dis-
covered in our country by celebrated 19 th century bot- anist Josif Pančić. The snowdrop is a perennial plant and it is enough to plant bulbs once to ensure you have your spring flowers every year. All that matters is that the soil is moist. The snowdrop symbolises hope, pros- perity, growth and development, which is why you re- ally should have some in your garden. Violets These spring flowers literally flood the areas where they emerge, forming a fragrant carpet in forests and parks. The violet first gained popularity in ancient Greece and was even the symbol of Athens. It symbolised fer- tility and love. In Ancient Rome, however, these spring flowers represented a symbol of mourning due to their colour (which resembled spilt blood). In our country, vi- olets have always been a favourite among children, joy- fully gifted to mothers for 8 th March. This flower sym- bolises honesty, modesty and courage. Ancient Persians used it as a drink to treat insomnia and heal a broken heart, while the French eat it as a candied sweet treat. Hellebore This little flower generally appears in the colour green, but can also be white and pink. Helleborus ser- bicus, or the Serbian hellebore, is an endemic species that grows exclusively in Serbia. This plant has been celebrated by mythology far and wide. Hercules is said to have cured his madness with hellebores, while Al- exander the Great is claimed to have died because he used it as medicine for too long. According to Christian belief, this flower first emerged 2,000 years ago, when a girl travelled to Bethlehem to welcome the birth of God’s son. Having no gift to offer the child, she wept with sadness, which prompted an angel to appear, touch the ground with his wings, and bring forth a Christ- mas Rose (black hellebore) from her tears, so the new- born Christ also received this unusual flower as a gift.
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