There are many themes and different ways to design a garden. In planting the seed of Growing Gardens for Palestine my idea is to encourage both.
On a private level we all have to power to plant and tend at least one thing. In Growing a Garden for Palestine with no money or space one can find a container, such as a mug that says Palestine and simply plant something pretty- or significant. And it can become a gift passed on to a friend.
Starting small one by one such gardens can grow into bigger things.
Many Palestinian Americans have stories of their parents and grandparents' gardens in historic Palestine. A precious heritage has been preserved in the tendency to want to nurture and grow useful herbs, tasty vegetables, succulent fruits and pretty flowers... and shade for on a hot summer's day.
Gardens are where our children play and where we find food and flavorings to bring to the table, as well as to share with family and friends. Gardens are gifts in many ways, both in their being as well as in what they can produce to give away. Gardens connect us to all of human history reaching back into the past, but they also very much connect us to the here and now.
In the Middle East gardens are simply gardens and there is no need to specifically grow a garden for Palestine as there are already many talented gardeners with ties to historic Palestine growing many beautiful gardens. But here in America there really is a need to use our imaginations and our ability to adapt for our climate differs and so do our needs and abilities and interests.
In Growing Gardens for Palestine here in America, my first thoughts were about public gardens, and how to create a public Garden for Palestine where various elements could be involved to express the past, present and future of Palestine in positive ways. A living memorial to a very precious, storied place.
Planning a garden is one step towards planting it and making it real.
I often think of a wonderful effort called "Playgrounds for Palestine". Playgrounds for Palestine was founded after Palestinian human rights activist, Susan Abulhawa, visited her home in Jerusalem after nearly 20 years in exile in August 2001. http://www.playgroundsforpalestine.org/our-playgrounds.php?ID=3 I really admire the way Susan has put her creative and intellectual energy into helping Palestine in positive ways.
In addition to Susan's Playgrounds for Palestine projects she is the author of a riveting novel that was the 2007 Winner of the Fiction & Literature, Historic Fiction category in the National Best Book Awards.. "The Scar of David is a historic fiction set in the lap of one of the 20th century’s most intractable political conflicts. Though the course of this story, a Palestinian boy grows up ..." http://scarofdavid.com/blog/index.php?page_id=5
According to the Playgrounds for Palestine web site biography of Susan "Every year she tries to cultivate a vegetable garden in her backyard, but only tomatoes will cooperate; so, she eats a lot of tomato sandwiches in the spring and summer months." I find that line delightful. It's the classic making lemons out of lemonade with an added twist- However here and now is not the place to ramble off into the culinary history of tomatoes (yet- who only knows where all this might lead!).
Susan and I do not live near each other but we do both live in Pennsylvania- Penn's Woods. Here in the northeast you won't find olive and orange trees- But we can grow some herbs and we can also dream about gardens and play with designs, each in our own way.
And so today the garden I might build if I had unlimited funds and a public place to put it, would be an eclectic mix with an eye to remembering historic Palestine in positive and respectful ways- both the people and the land.. I might not be able to plant an orange tree where we live, but I can have an apple tree.
So far, in my mind's eye, this imagined public garden for Palestine is only an opening into what might be....
The way in leads through what might be called an arch- it's a key shape cut out of rough hewn rock. It has a decorative wrought iron metal door that can be unlocked, opening out to let people in. The door itself is a thing of beauty, I am not sure if patterns or symbols would fit best, so for now I will leave that as a blur.
So far the shape to get into my imagined Garden for Palestine is reminiscent of a classic arched doorway, but it incorporates the shape of the symbol long cherished by so many Palestinian refugees: The key stands up straight and proud, and it becomes a play on positive and negative space, allowing us to become part of the key itself as we walk into the garden....
This key shaped entry is only wide enough for one, or maybe two walking closely together, to walk into our Garden for Palestine. One by one the garden fills...
On opening day hot tea in little glasses would be served off trays, and so would Za'atar along with olive oil and warm fresh baked Arabic bread.
annie
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