Thursday, March 26, 2009

Bottle Trees Found On The Internet




I found these beautiful bottle trees on the internet. They're not mine. Someday maybe I'll get around to making one for my garden. I included some history on the bottle tree below. It's interesting, but I just want one because I love the colors.

The Thin Line Between Good and Evil,2003

"Once a common site in the Southern landscape, the bottle tree is now an increasing rarity as ancient folk beliefs and customs fall from the common usage. The origins of the tree go back to the ninth century. In the Congo, where hand-blown glass was hung on huts and trees as a talisman against evil, you can find the practice of removing the foliage from a tree (preferably a cedar, because all the branches point heavenward) and placing the tree in the yard of the house. The bare branches are then covered with colorful glass bottles that attract any evil spirits that may be lurking near the house. The spirit becomes mesmerized by the play of sunlight through the colorful glass and becomes trapped inside the bottle. When the wind blows past them, the moans of ensnared spirits can be heard whistling on the breeze." -The Bottle Tree: A Vanishing Southern Tradition, Bill Steer.

1 comment:

  1. I think I would much rather have a Bottle Tree in my Garden than a Scarecrow...Love all the beautiful color and when the sun hits it I bet it is fantastic...

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