The Interwoven Roots of Plants and Greek Myths

by Dr Lorna Robinson

Like many other people, the not-too-distant lockdowns created a space and stillness in my life which nature began to fill. From starting to recognise more of the little birds that visited our garden, to taking joy out of the vibrant orange and purple colours of the wildflowers growing in the verges of the nearby road, I grew to love things I had often not noticed before. 

It was from these long days, long walks, and quiet times, that the idea for a series of books called Telling Tales in Nature grew. Some of the myths I have always found most alluring have been those about the underworld, and so I decided to set the first little book in the series, Underworld Tales, there.

Stories, and in particular, myths, are a lot like plants, I think. They spring up often unexpectedly, they self-germinate, but with interesting variations, and before you know it, they are a flourishing ecology. And like nature, they are nourishing in a very deep way, providing wider and different perspectives, and new ways of looking at things. Stepping inside a myth is a lot like stepping inside a wood. It’s different each time, and you never know what you will find!

Increasingly, I bring nature into my teaching and lessons wherever I can for this reason. I find children and adults alike have a joy in knowing the different versions of stories, of hearing them over again, and seeing them in new ways. I find they take a similar pleasure in learning about plants of all kinds, so using stories which are interwoven with nature feels fitting. More than ever before, climate change calls for us to take a different approach to our lives and the nature around us, and I think that ancient ways of viewing plants and nature can help remind us of that interdependence and reliance that modern life can make us forget.

In the book, I start by introducing the plant itself, and giving some simple details about where it grows, what it looks like, and how people have used it in daily life. I then introduce the myth which is associated with the plant, before retelling the story from the perspective of the plant itself. In accordance with ancient Greek and Roman ideas about the spirits which inhabit different aspects of the natural world, I have imagined these spirits as nymphs. I finish with a new brief notes on ancient sources for the stories for those who want to explore further.

    

A talented young artist, Lydia Hall, who is based in Oxford, has created botanical illustrations for each of the plants, and also drawings of the characters and places imagined in the stories. Three of the myths are re-imaginings of ancient stories but in the case of Asphodel, I invented a completely new story for the plant, since one didn’t appear to exist. Lydia has created a mysterious, wistful, gently gloomy backdrop for all the stories, and she has drawn the characters with a careful eye for their view of the stories.

The plan is to create a series of these little books which explore lots of different plants and stories in different realms, from forests to gardens, and from seas to rivers. They are aimed loosely at ages 8+ to adult. I hope that they are simple enough for quite little ones to enjoy, and detailed enough for older children and adults, but I welcome all feedback on this first book, and am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

    

Contact Lorna by email at lro@cheneyschool.org

“Telling Tales in Nature: Underworld Tales” can be purchased as an e-book and paperback here.

All images: © Lydia Hall