The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

THE STORY OF HEATHER

Harli

By Harli

Washington, United States Us

I ran across this story while researching how to care for my heather and thought you might like it.
I have never had any intrest in gardens & plants but I have to admit
it does grow on you (sorry for the pun, ha ha)

<p>
When God first made the world, He looked at the bare and barren hillsides and thought how nice it would be to cover them with some kind of beautiful tree or flower. So he turned to the Giant Oak, the biggest and strongest of all of the trees he had made, and asked him if he would be willing to go up to the bare hills to help make them look more attractive. But the oak explained that he needed a good depth of soil in order to grow and that the hillsides would be far too rocky for him to take root.

So God left the oak tree and turned to the honeysuckle with its lovely yellow flower and beautiful sweet fragrance. He asked the honeysuckle if she would care to grow on the hillsides and spread her beauty and fragrance amongst the barren slopes. But the honeysuckle explained that she needed a wall or a fence or even another plant to grow against, and for that reason, it would be quite impossible for her to grow in the hills.

So God then turned to one of the sweetest and most beautiful of all the flowers - the rose. God asked the rose if she would care to grace the rugged highlands with her splendour. But the rose explained that the wind and the rain and the cold on the hills would destroy her, and so she would not be able to grow on the hills.

Disappointed with the oak, the honeysuckle and the rose, God turned away. At length, he came across a small, low lying, green shrub with a flower of tiny petals -some purple and some white. It was a heather.

God asked the heather the same question that he’d asked the others. "Will you go and grow upon the hillsides to make them more beautiful?"

The heather thought about the poor soil, the wind and the rain - and wasn’t very sure that she could do a good job. But turning to God she replied that if he wanted her to do it, she would certainly give it a try.

God was very pleased.

He was so pleased in fact that he decided to give the heather some gifts as a reward for her willingness to do as he had asked.

Firstly he gave her the strength of the oak tree - the bark of the heather is the strongest of any tree or shrub in the whole world.

Next he gave her the fragrance of the honeysuckle - a fragrance which is frequently used to gently perfume soaps and potpouris.

Finally he gave her the sweetness of the rose - so much so that heather is one of the bees favourite flowers. And to this day, heather is renowned especially for these three God given gifts.



Lavender_bush

Answers

 

I will now look at my heathers in a different light what a nice story,nice thought for the day a place for every thing in Gods universe

12 Mar, 2008

 

How Lovely this story is Harli :)

12 Mar, 2008

 

Lovely story thanks for sharing. A nice reminder that even the most humble of plants give gardeners a reward

12 Mar, 2008

 

Thank you for posting that story - lovely!

12 Mar, 2008

 

Love this story , God is good

12 Mar, 2008

 

What a wonderful story. I don't know if our minister knows this one so I shall pass it on to him.
I am sure there are many stories about plants, does anyone know of a compendium of them. It is just the sort of book my Mum and I would love.
PS. I know this was posted last month, but having been away from home there is much to catch up on.

8 Apr, 2008

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?