Anyone traveling any Slavic country often come out with this: an awe for cottages, meadows and gardens of the region that, despite being nearly dead for half a year, becomes like a magic orchard from spring till early autumn. What’s the secret sauce?
Firstly: Flowers
The quote above, coming from the famous Pan Tadeusz,
depicts a typical Slavic garden (mind you —
the action of the book takes place in modern-day Belarus, not Poland!).
It’s usually small, handy (close to the house),
and with a mix of decorative flowers, herbs, or even plants
that are considered weeds, which are well tolerated in Slavic
culture in comparison to more sterile Western approach.
Secondly: Wood
Wooden accents in and around the house
were a must in any typical Slavic home.
In Russia, the art of intricate window frame
decoration evolved and spread far and wide —
even to the Podlasie part of Poland.
Wooden and stone statues can have deeper meaning,
to, as ancient Slavs did use time among trees and stones for contemplation…
More: How to find a pagan sacred place from the past in Eastern Europe? Easy!
Thirdly: Pottery
For centuries, pottery was just used in every Slavic home;
now it is purely decorative, used mostly in gardens
(where, suddenly, in the span of my life, clay pots became
a luxury — everything else is plastic now…).
Broken pottery is fine too, as it makes good composters,
homes for birds, mice or snails, pots, paths, etc.
Fourthly: Stone
Similarly to pottery, nowadays regular stony objects became luxurious.
I’ve read once Leszek Matela’s book on “Slavic feng-shui,”
and he stated that stone in four corners of the house,
on the paths, or as small steps or stairs, is beneficial to
health and to the “energies” around the house.
A stream with some stones or a flat stone in front of
the door are a nice addition to any traditional Slavic garden.
