Gothic Gardening

June 17, 2003 8:52 AM

Gothic Gardening. The sinister side of a seemingly harmless hobby.
posted by plep (6 comments total)

Good stuff, plep. Interesting to find out that the Great Pumpkin was not just a fancy of Linus Van Pelt.
posted by soyjoy at 9:10 AM on June 17, 2003

From the Somber Garden:

Hollyhocks
Found labeled as Althaea rosea nigra , A. nigra, or 'The Watchman', these are single saucer shaped blooms which are a deep, chocolate maroon. This was grown by Thomas Jefferson....I wonder if he was secretly a goth..... "

Oh yeah, Jefferson was a huge goth -- ever see his handwriting? And all those frilly shirts...
posted by me3dia at 10:52 AM on June 17, 2003

Gothic gardening is walking into your moonlit terrace at 4 pm after a night out only to discover that a rat has broken into it and, after gratuitously knocking over the smokeables, has snacked on the young tomato plants. You then make sure that death and the rat become acquainted with each other in the dark confines found between plant pots and under garden furniture.

Disclaimer about the smokeables for mr DEA lurker: it's legal where I live - (Buwahahahahahaha!)
posted by magullo at 11:45 AM on June 17, 2003

Thanks, plep - what a good find. I'm going to be in this goth garden all day today, gathering tidbits and folklore. The stories about violets are wonderful - I had no idea they had such a shady past - they look so innocent and sweet. The recipe for candied violets is nice, although there's a much better one here. Candied violets are pretty, delicious, sexy, and fragrant. And I don't think they have any calories, save for what's in the bit of sugar on them. And people swoon over them and worship you for a little while when you make them. Definitely worth the 15 minutes it takes to make them ;)
posted by iconomy at 12:32 PM on June 17, 2003

Hey! They have suggestions on "Bat Gardening", and considering the whole West Nile Virus thing, that might be a good idea for more than just Goths.
posted by greengrl at 12:59 PM on June 17, 2003

Sweet. Nice find plep, we just bought a house with a nice spot for a garden.

/cackles
posted by tr33hggr at 1:04 PM on June 17, 2003