7 Cardinal Sins Garden

For years I've been collecting gargoyle statues for my Gargoyle Garden. Recently I've discovered an artist's collection of heads whose human faces represent the seven cardinal sins....greed, lust, pride, envy, anger, sloth and gluttony. I would love to develop a garden plot featuring each statue's head and the plant(s) which represents this sin in ANY way. Help, I need lots of suggestions from this knowledgeable DG group. Relax.... I don't take myself (or the world) too seriously so have some fun with this concept! For example, I thought of Antheriums for LUST, well because, the flower just looks naughty to me. Doubt Antheriums would live in my 6a zone tho, but I can make full sun or full shade happen. Perhaps SLOTH could be a slow grower? ANGER could be something red and thorny (altho that seems almost too obvious)? GREED could be a heavy feeder? And GLUTTONY something that looks fat or bulbous? I know the DG group are some "outside of the box" thinkers. Wanna play? Pick the sin, suggest the plant(s) and why it may fit that sin. I promise lots of pictures when completed.

This message was edited Dec 23, 2014 11:03 AM

Can you include plants that wold be potted and need to come inside at some point? I'm not familiar with what your winters are like.
Anthurium sounds like a great choice so far. Or Lycoris (naked ladies)
Ponytail palm or Desert Rose for gluttony?
Bells of Ireland- green with envy?

greed sounds like an aggressive vine but that could turn into a nightmare for you to maintain.

I could see this being an area with seven clearly defined spaces, emphasizing the fact that each plant was chosen for its sin, and greed growing over its boundaries,

Amorphophallus sp...

Hmmm, what a great idea. Excellent ideas so far. I also thought what about the names, both in English and Latin. So I looked on Wikipedia, and found latin names for the sins, they have changed some over the centuries. Didn't find much that helped, although there is a biting midge called Avaritia (avarice).
Bleeding heart flowers are called 'Lady in a Bathtub' for good reason, perhaps this could go around the Amorphophallus.
We are all doing best with Lust, it seems.
How about for Pride you plant Echium 'Mr. Happy' from Annies Annuals (it would work for both). Oh rats it's only for zones 9-10. http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=2051&prp_typ=1&rs_start=360
I will keep thinking.

Kniphofia for anger (Red Hot Poker). Lunaria (Money Plant) for greed. A dwarf apple for lust (forbidden fruit). Spiranthes (Lady's Tresses) species native to your region for pride. Mosses for sloth. Turf grass for gluttony. Two flowering plants of the same genus but different species or varieties to represent envy. This last one could be annuals such as sunflowers which elbow other plants and compete for space and attention. Or...Moluccela laevis (Bells of Ireland) for their green with envy flowers.

Other candidates for pride would be an arbor with Campsis (Trumpet Vine) with Ajuga reptans (bugleweed). They both toot their own horns.

And one more idea... Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower) flanking the garden entrance to remind viewers that the space contains cardinal sins not just run of the mill sins.

MaypopLaurel is a genius!

You all are so helpful, so much so, I just had to buy myself a year's membership! Thank you. Sallyg: I have acres of land to maintain so I think I will try to keep this garden outside all year as much as possible. I love your idea of clearly designed sections…maybe I can use some BIG chain to mark the areas? (Need something that seems a bit ominous.) Any other ideas for marking sections? VV: Our local college sells large starts of the Corpse Flower and it blooms most years. So it might make the $10. investment worthwhile and it could live in the greenhouse over the winter. MLS: Using the names is another great idea. I spit coffee on my keyboard after following your link to Mr.Happy and finally figuring out the name. The dwarf apple would make a good anchor plant too. MayPL: Definitely going to add the Cardinal Flowers to the entrance and perhaps some weeping plants surrounding the 7 Cardinal Sin Garden. Hopefully it is OK to post this link to encourage more ideas…http://www.designtoscano.com/product/seven+cardinal+sins+plaques+-+os69299.do

No wonder you joined, OniOni!!!

Yes it is perfectly OK to post a link to show what you're talking about.
Fun ideas! I think I am better at suggesting things for other people than having ideas for my own gardening.

Here's a few more to consider:

Nyssa sylvatica Red Rage™
Picea pungens Fat Albert™
Cornus kousa Heart Throb™
Ilex opaca 'Magna Semen'

Euonymous americanus (Hearts-a-bustin) is mostly demur but lustful when she berries. Beautiful native shrub in my back yard.

Butterworts are carniverous and plant-wise that should qualify as gluttonous. One or more N. American species should grow in your area.

Can't get more phallic than stinkhorn mushrooms.

Cornus kousa is a good one VV.

I've been looking up these suggestions and am anxious to get this plot started. You guys are real gems to take the time to help and encourage me. THANKS!

VV: I am intrigued as to how they arrived at the species/genius(?) name for llex opaca? (I've got to learn that classification order) Apparently, I need a female plant but am unsure which leaf to lift in order to find out its gender (very big grin). And I do agree with MPL that Heart Throb is a beautiful choice.

MPL: I just began playing with some carnivorous plants, see photo of my Seymour and friends. So Butterworths now have my attention for the indoor garden. And that Stinkhorn mushroom would make a 'lady of the evening' blush.

Love the green Bells of Ireland, or there any other green flower plants? Still unsure what I could use for Pride.

http://www.finegardening.com/deadnettle-yellow-archangel-lamium-galeobdolon-hermanns-pride

Sallyg: Hermann's Pride, another winner. Much thanks!

There are lots of excellent American Holly choices - I only mentioned the one so as to prime the pump.

OniOni said: "I am intrigued as to how they arrived at the species/genius(?) name for llex opaca? (I've got to learn that classification order) Apparently, I need a female plant but am unsure which leaf to lift in order to find out its gender (very big grin)."

First things first: binomial nomenclature. The generic term (Ilex) takes the lead, and the specific epithet (opaca) is secondary in the naming a species (a combination of the terms). Thus, the binomial Ilex opaca names the species of American Holly.

Next: you've got it all wrong. 'Magna Semen' means "large seed", and is an excellent female American Holly named in the 1940s by E. W. Windsor. See attached images.

If you really want some additional selections to go with the Deadnettle, try some of these:

**Ilex opaca 'Pride Berry'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Dwarf'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Hedge'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride of Butler'
**Ilex opaca 'Pride Orchard'
**Ilex opaca 'Arthur Pride'
**Ilex opaca 'Betty Pride'

Pennsylvania nurseryman Orlando Pride was a prolific fellow...

Also prideful as well as early blooming would be Narcissus. For later flowers there's Clematis 'Niobe'. In Greek mythology, Niobe took great pride in her fertility. And, BTW, not just Narcissus, but all daffodils symbolize vanity.

Oh the classic Narcissus, good one.

But are you wanting the Language of Flowers (where white roses are purity and innocence) or names of flowers/plants or appearances? It's a difficult decision. Will the "pride" plant be named "so-and-so PRIDE or will it behave pridefully or will it be a classical symbol for pride or what?

CL: I had not thought of using the names as a way of representing the sin before posting here. I was thinking of just using the plants' true nature but I like the idea of using several plants for each sin, both the names and their character. (This way it can be a bigger garden with year long activity too). I have heard of the language of flowers but am unfamiliar with it. You just gave me more ideas to research. I was totally stumped on what selections I could make until I talked to all of you. I am open to ANY ideas. Thanks.

MPL: The Narcissuses opens up a large selection of options. I have the Niobe Clematis and did not know the Greek mythology behind it. That makes me love it all the more.

VV: I am studying the Holly selections now and trying to learn the basic terminology of classification.

With each of these suggestions, my sin garden is growing and growing. Wow, what fun.

Well, you can split all the anthropomorphic hairs you want...

All the names, attributes, history, and mythology are human-based, so picking any and all will be as relevant - as are the Seven Deadly Sins.

The rest is natural selection and evolution, which takes one down an entirely different road...

I am such a concrete thinker. You could put a mirror flat on the ground (the pool of "water") and put a Narcissus behind it, and maybe an iris and rose to extend the blooming season with other plants that might have prideful flowers.

I love the idea of the mirror for the narcissus

Momlady: Your mirror idea is perfect! That is definitely going to happen! Many thanks.

Love the mirror by those narcissistic daffodils!