Dianne Glave is very clear about the main argument of her book, “Rooted in the Earth”. “Stereotypes persist that African Americans are physically and spiritually detached from the environment. This wrongheaded notion is so ingrained in our culture that many of us have begun to believe it ourselves. But nothing could be less true.”
To illustrate this viewpoint, she begins each chapter with a story. While fictional, these stories weave a convincing portrayal of the history of African Americans from their roots in Africa, up to modern times. All emphasize a strong and vibrant connection to the natural environment as expressed in many ways, including through religion, conservation, nature study, and gardening.
I found the chapter entitled “Women and Gardening: A Patch of Her Own” particularly engaging. The focus is on African American women living in the rural southern United States, both before and after the Civil War.
Some used conventional agricultural practices of producing food and other crops in orderly rows. Others embraced a natural aesthetic with a glorious mixture of annuals, perennials, and shrubs. While this has become popular amongst prominent European and American garden designers in recent years, for African Americans this is an older tradition.
The diversity of these plantings was effective at reducing insect pests and left little room for weeds to thrive. Flowers were grown for their beauty and fragrance, and as ways to entice the neighbors over to visit. In addition, “some gardeners sought ethical, moral, and spiritual enlightenment in these chaotic or wilderness spaces much as their African ancestors had.”
Excerpted from the Winter 2018 Arboretum Bulletin.