| Demiguise
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hobbiton
Posts: 24,243
Hogwarts RPG Name:
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Ravenclaw
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Ronnie Thurkell
Gryffindor Seventh Year
  x12  x12
|  lives in a hobbit hole || Ern and Touz's Nuzzle || roflysst || looking at a seed packet
SPOILER!!: individual replies Quote:
Originally Posted by Jessiqua 
It didn't take any brain juice for Abra to imagine a garden in the space indicated. Not at all. But as for a magical garden? Well, she wasn't sure. Raising her hand hesitantly, Abra said "I... I don't know about magical gardens. But for layout planning you need to think about areas of shade, sunlight, and rain exposure. Then you need to know what types of plants you want to have and lay them out according to their needs."
"Very true." Professor Beryl said after listening to Abra give her answer. She smiled encouragingly. The hesitance was noticed, but Carmine was sure that she would settle soon enough. Behind her, the blackboard began to fill itself with notes. Quote:
Originally Posted by Freyr "Hello Professor, I am Freyr Njordson" said Freyr with a confident and now-awake voice.
Freyr closed his eyes trying to imagine his mother's garden, full of beautiful flowers among which Freyr loved to sit and read books since he was little. From her mother's attempts to teach him about the plants, he remembered molies, asphodels and orchids. He imagined a dove made out of these flowers. Maybe they could be enchanted in a way that dove looked like flying. Freyr knew that he would definitely love to sit in this garden and read. He wondered if the dove would leave the same effect on others too or if the shape was created a bit wrong, would its effect complete opposite. After a couple of minutes wondering whether he should raise his hand and explain his idea or be quiet, he decided to raise his hand to ask his questions and explain his design. He was a lot more relaxed, what could go wrong, after all? "A pleasure, Freyr." Carmine couldn't help but smile at the name, given she had this past term been teaching Ancient Runes. ooc: to save time, we RP raising our hands and then include our answers as if the professor called on your character while their hand was raised  You can go ahead and include your answer in your next post this time around though, even though we are moving on to the next question. Quote:
Originally Posted by Ginevra Fiona was quite clueless when it came to gardening. After all, she lived in an apartment with her folks so huge gardens were non-existent in her life. She raised her hand slowly and said, "Er..soil. The right soil is needed for the adequate growth of plants. Plants need certain nutrients."
Yeah, that sounded correct in her mind. "That's right, Fiona." Carmine answered. "The soil is important." Quote:
Originally Posted by Kolyander Rylee couldn't have been more thrilled that the very first lesson of the term was by far her most favorite. It was the star in her chosen field of study for the future, which was coming much faster than she could have ever possibly dreamed.
Good thing for her that she was typically an early riser with the lesson being held at eight am sharp. There was more than enough time for her to take a careful morning run around the gorgeous grounds, get some breakfast and return to her 'dorm' for a shower and get her uniform on without having to rush about like a complete nutter.
At the instructions to stow away her things into a cubby, Rylee had done just that, in the closest cubby to where she was going to be seated and labelled it neatly. A warm greeting had been given to Professor Beryl as she had found herself a seat. There was just a few moments where she had allowed herself to get lost in the sweet aromas that wafted about the greenhouse just before the Professor called everyone's attention to the start of the lesson.
Moving her purple self inking quill to lay beside her journal, the sixth year lioness focused her attention upon Beryl. Raising her hand she wanted her turn before offering a reply. "The layout of a garden can be highly important to how the plants within grow. Some plants require much more room between themselves and other plants in order to grow up strong and healthy. Other plants may need to be planted in the sunlight, others don't require as much sun. If you're planting magical plants you'll want to consider how the plant may react to other plants, will it harm the plants around it or not?" Rylee smiled. Truthfully she could have went on and on about all of this but that wouldn't be fair to anyone else around her who had something to add to the topic. "Thank you, Rylee, those are good points. The placement, the sunlight, and the relationship between magical and mundane plants are all important considerations." The professor said, and notes appeared on the blackboard behind her. Quote:
Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19 How silly of her. Claudine had forgotten to introduce herself and she offered a tiny apologetic smile. “Claudine Blaze, Professor. Slytherin first year.”
Eight AM soon dawned upon them and Claudine watched as the glass door swung shut. When Beryl began to speak, the girl adjusted herself in her seat more comfortably. Might as well be happy while learning. Quill in hand, she absently made some notes on the last page of her journal regarding the upper level of the greenhouses. These were for future reference if needed. Claudine had no intention of picking the flowers, honestly. All she wanted to do was to sit among and sketch them. They would make excellent memories in a book as opposed to plucking them. After all, they will inevitably die.
Upon the instructions, the Snakette found her imagination drifting as she considered the question. A few responses were listened to before she raised a hand. “There are bonsai gardens,” Claudine spoke up, having seen one of those before. “We should keep in mind how dangerous a plant is. A Venomous Tentacula wouldn’t be kept with fluxweed…” What Claudine was hinting at was that it was important to keep a layout similar to the Greenhouses that Hogwarts had: the more dangerous plants were kept in different Houses. "Nice to meet you, Miss Blaze." Was she related to the other Blazes that Carmine had met over the past year? There were a few.
When the girl put her hand up to answer, Carmine called on her and listened intently. "Dangerous plants are always important to keep in mind, thank you." Quote:
Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl "Yesh ma'am," Bernie grinned as she obediently shoved the other half of her cookie in her mouth. She at least knew better than to try to talk until she had finished ALL of her cookie, which took her a minute but she nodded to show that she understood NO MORE COOKIES IN CLASS WHILE CLASS IS GOING ON.
Anyway, her name? Hmm, should she give a fake one? Nah, she wanted REAL credit for her work here. "I'm Bernadette!" Oh, and now they were starting, so she was shhhhhing, and dusting cookie crumbs off her robes and onto the floor.
She tried to think about magical gardens but to tell the truth, she had only ever visited Diagonally and the castle part of Beauxbatons so far, so she didn't KNOW what magical gardens were like. But, if she had to guess what THINGS to KEEP IN MIND.... of course she raised her hand and waited to be called upon before giving her answer. This wasn't so different from Muggle biology, so far.
"I think you should consider how the fauna will be impacted by your garden," Bernie answered, feeling brilliant for using one of her new and impressive words. "Certain plants can attract or um, scare off, certain creatures." Right now she was thinking of butterflies in her mum's garden, but wondering if wizards had similar plants and plant pests?
"Nice to meet you, Bernadette." But please, no more cookies, during class. Carmine smiled a little, glad she hadn't tried to talk with her mouth full. Nobody needed a crumb shower today.
"Very true, Bernadette. Good answer." And it went up on the board too. "Plants can impact nearby creatures in both positive and negative ways, and depending on the garden, and on the creature you might want either." Quote:
Originally Posted by Daydreamer11 When the Professor asked her name, the fourth year was quick to reply. “Naya. My name is Naya Lindsay, Professor. I’m a fourth year, but this is my first year at Hogwarts......Beauxbatons.” The last part was probably obvious and unnecessary to state. Surely the professor knew that she was new. Oh well.
Finally it was time for class to begin. Naya wanted to know whose guesses about the herbs had been correct. Unfortunately, it seemed that they would have to wait to find out that answer. For now, they had an assignment and a question to answer. Following Professor Beryl’s instruction, Naya turned around and looked outside. She had a good imagination, so it didn’t take long for her to picture the area full of beautiful plants and flowers. The Gryffindor wasn’t an expert on magical gardens, but she had seen her share of muggle gardens. Back home the beautiful gardens were some of her favorite places to paint.
Raising her hand, Naya began to speak. “As my classmate said, (Rylee) you need to consider how much space the different plants need to grow. Some plants grow quickly and could overtake other plants if they are too close together. They may have roots that require lots of space. They can become entangled with other plants’ roots and impede their growth.......or they can steal most of the good nutrients from the soil and leave the other plants malnourished.” "Well I'm glad to have you in my lessons, Miss Lindsay." She'd remember Naya's name now.
She called on her and listened, nodding a few times. "The growth rate and the amount of space required are important, thank you." Quote:
Originally Posted by Nordic Witch Smiling up at professor Beryl he nodded warmly "Yes I feel much, much better today Professor Beryl. Thank you for curing me of my health issue last night."Cole was about to say throwing up but decided not to. The professor knew what he meant.
Some minutes later the lesson got underway and Professor Beryl reminded them of safety first and not to touch any plants/herbs or the like without her go ahead. Cole memorized that carefully because he had heard how a few other student’s already had gotten points deducted for touching plants without being allowed. The question that followed was a weird one. Garden design err?
Thinking hard for a long while Cole finally raised his hand tentatively hoping that his answer wasn’t as far off as the moon. "When you plan a garden I remember that my grandma has said that the climate as well as location matters a lot like if it’s near a pond or in the desert then only certain plants, herbs, flowers, trees and so on will thrive. Also the purpose for the garden matters like if it’s for water plants or growing fruit and vegetables." Professor Beryl called on Cole and listened to his answer. "Climate and location is very important. Proximity to water is a necessary consideration, as is the overall purpose of the garden, thank you Cole.." Quote:
Originally Posted by Lislchen .......Siobhán had kind of tuned out Professor Beryl's voice after about two seconds. AND after making sure she'd only be talking about introductions, and rules, and other boring stuff. She was instead wondering just WHAT was upstairs inside the upper level of the greenhouses. They needed a KEY? Who would be allowed to have that key? Was it possible to access the upstairs without a key? Why? Did they Beaux students have keys? Did they Prefects have keys? Maybe the Beaux Prefects did.
Were the Beaux Prefects also called "Prefects"?
She tuned back in JUST in time for the professor's question (it was a skill she'd acquired over the past two school years to know EXACTLY when it was important to pay attention again; the skill had a success rate of about 50:50...maybe 51:49). "GNOMES!" Yes, she'd also raised her hand (possibly after saying that). "You have to make sure the garden is protected from gnomes. Somehow. Or as best as you can. They're really annoying when you have them in your garden. They're everywhere and when you think you finally got rid of them all, then all of a sudden there's two more. It's awful." Also fun, occasionally, but she doubted Professor Beryl wanted to hear about that. "Yes, gnomes." Carmine agreed with a smile. "They do like magical gardens very much." Something that it was important to be mindful of. Quote:
Originally Posted by love-for-HP
Smiling at how kind the Professor was, Blake replied "Blake ... Blake Ryan."
Blake stared flat out blank faced at the Professor. People actually spent time organizing their garden like this?? Having never actually grown a garden in the muggle or wizard world he was unsure that this was even a thing. But the professor seemed to be series with her question, so it had to be something right???
"Does it really matter that much?" Blake asked in response. He realized after he said it, he may have sounded rude or questioning his professor that wasn't his intention at all, he just truly didn't know. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude ... I just have never had a garden, I didn't think it would really matter how it's organized." There, that explained it better right??
"Glad to have you here, Mr Ryan." Carmine said genuinely. Yes, she knew it was a compulsory subject (which was quite different for her given she had taught an elective in the last school year), but all the same, she did appreciate when her students were present and paying attention.
Blake's interjection, his question, had the professor turning to look at him again after the lesson had begun.
"I suppose you'll find that out, won't you?" She responded with a small smile. "Do remember to raise your hand before you speak, Blake." She did not mind giving one reminder. Quote:
Originally Posted by hjhm "J-jillian Kim, professor" she awkwardly reply. Jillian is shy and also because Professor Beryl has a nice voice, quite soothing actually.
Introductions were made and a briefing about the school as well. One thing for sure the greenhouse in Beauxbaton is exquisite. It looks very elegant and clean. Everything here looks clean, even the broom closet where the Slytherins are staying at. Not cool at all. Jillian nods at the no touching of the plants in front of them rule. Yes, because you will never know if it bites or worse, explode. Magical plants are a lot different and are tended differently as well. She doesn't have that much knowledge with magical gardens and/or plants but Jillian loves interior designing. Are they going to draw their very own magical garden? That will be super awesome.
What things should be kept in mind when designing a magical garden? This is key when it comes to greenhouses. Jillian raised her hand "I think there should be a proper segregation of the plants depending on what type they are. There can be areas in the garden that are more prone to sunlight than some parts" Some plants die without sunlight but some plants can survive without it.
And also, scarecrows.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Kim." Professor Beryl greeted. She tended to begin more formally before relaxing into addressing the students by their first names as she built a rapport with them.
"The type of plant is important to keep in mind." Carmine agreed after calling on her. "Thank you." That was on the board too. Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetPeea The little badger smiled again as the Professor asked her for her name to which she quickly responded, "Oh, my name is Faye...Faye Asztalos.." She couldn't help but add, "I look very forward to learning more about Herbology.."
Before she knew it the lesson had begun and Professor Beryl was now addressing the whole class giving her kind welcome. Faye listened very intently as she spoke to them of the uses of the Greenhouse as Beauxbatons' guests and to not disrespect that use. Once she'd heard mention of the Professor offering a limited number of keys to access other parts of the Greenhouse that they didn't have access to, she made a mental note to ask her for one at the end of the lesson.
'Do not forget!'
After making this mental note, as she was instructed to, she turned in her seat to look out of the window to the empty space where Professor Beryl told them to imagine a magical garden and what might it include. She couldn't think of exactly what she would put for there were so many plants in the world, so she thought why not put an abundance of them, appropriately of course though. Faye heard Professor Beryl's next series of questions and she pursed her lips to the side as she thought for a few moments of what might be an appropriate thing needed to help a magical garden thrive.
Once thinking of something, her arm went into the air before she spoke calmly, "Well Professor, certainly spacing could be rather important because every plant has a different need that may not coincide with another in order for it to grow properly..For example some plants need more sun exposure than others.." Thinking of another question she quickly added, "Also, would time commitment count Professor? Gardening, magical or not, should at least be something on your mind on a daily basis to tend to before designing a layout..If your hope is to have a thriving garden.." Carmine smiled warmly, a small twinkle in her eyes. "Well then, Miss Asztalos, you had best pay attention." If the girl wanted to learn what Professor Beryl had to offer, anyway.
And she was engaging well. Seeing her hand up, Carmine called on her. "Yes, the spacing and positioning is important." And she had more to say? Carmine nodded. "Yes, your time commitment is relevant too." Depending on the garden's purpose, and how much maintenance was required. Quote:
Originally Posted by Granger Danger Stella nodded her head at everyone's especially her food friend Rylee's before taking notes in her notebook. She knew quite a bit about gardening, it was one of her favorite hobbies. She knew alot of people hated it, but she she loved it, nothing like getting your hands into the fresh soil. She loved planting things and watching it turn into big and beautiful. The smell of peppermint still lingering the air, she smiled happily at herself.
Waiting for the others to answer she raised her hand. "Well Professor I think before sowing a single seed, it is helpful to sketch a map of the garden so you know how many seedlings you will need, where they will be planted, and how you can keep each garden bed producing all through the growing season." Blushing a bit she bit her lip going back to her notes. "Very good point about a map, Stella. And one to keep in mind for this lesson - it will be relevant soon enough." She would touch on it again. Quote:
Originally Posted by malfoygrl Gemma mentally kicked herself for not introducing herself. She smiled before saying, ""Gemma Black."
Plants were never her strong suite. She killed her house plants without even trying. They'd be alive one day, then the next they were dying. Her mom had tried to help her get better at gardening but it was ineffective. Still the greenhouse was pretty amazing. Maybe this will get her to like plants more. She snapped back to attention with Professor Beryl started teaching.
'A magical garden?' Interesting. Gemma didn't really know how to answer this question... Maybe she would just stay silent. 'Oh!' Tentatively raised her hand. "Maybe like an irrigation system or something so the garden doesn't flood..." Her voice trailed off. She hated public speaking so being in a class with everyone was overwhelming. "Nice to meet you, Miss Black." Professor Beryl said before the lesson properly began.
She called on the girl when she raised her hand. "Yes, irrigation is important, as is drainage. Considering how you will water your garden in general is paramount. Embracing that in your planning can be really beneficial." Quote:
Originally Posted by Felixir
No time like the present to find out. Class was starting, and Kaiser looked towards Professor Beryl again. It took all of about five seconds for Kaiser to realise he was not about to start the term off strong. His grasp of English had improved even more over the last year (he improved every year, it was difficult not to), but Tired Brain™ was slowing him down significantly. At least the majority of what the professor had said so far was more general school information than specific Herbology lesson.
Not all of it though, and Kaiser was with it enough to follow the part about garden designs. The only issue really was that at first he had not the faintest idea what to say. He was not the kind of person to think very much about gardens, or garden layouts. They were just sort of there, and not exactly of great importance in the grand scheme of things.
All the same, he eventually raised his hand. "I think you perhaps would want to keep plants that eat certain other plants away from each other." And that was all he had. Gardens were of such minimal consequence to him.
"That is true, Kaiser. It would be a waste of your time and efforts if your plants ate one another." And it did happen when it came to certain magical plants. Some of them even ate people or pets. Quote:
Originally Posted by feeheeheeny Wait, so this woman was proficient in healing magic, runes, and herbology? Merlin. What couldn't she do? Where had she studied all these things? Teddy suddenly had a million questions for her, but now was not the time-- still, he was hanging onto every word she said and even jotted down some simple notes of instructions, like request key. A flush of crimson returned to his cheeks when the professor mentioned not touching the plants - he struggled to keep a stoic expression and not exchange a glance with Fi - and only when he turned around to survey the instructed area did he raise a palm to one cheek, then the other, willing them to tone it down.
There were... many, many possible answers to Beryl's question, and Teddy struggled to pick just one. It seemed obvious to point out some basic needs: quality of soil, selecting arrangements of plants with similar needs for sunlight and water, and so on, but one by one, the other students verbalized his thoughts - some of them even spieling with multiple answers all in one - and Teddy deflated a little, choosing instead to jot down some of the things people mentioned.
Then, just when it seemed like Beryl would soon stop accepting their responses, the first year's body betrayed him and a hand was up before he could stop it. "Err... depending on the kind of garden or purpose... we could do well to keep in mind... the aesthetic?" He sounded uncertain. "I mean, yeah, plants have all sorts of neat practical uses! But arrangement and use of colors and heights are important in a garden setting because... because it's an intangible." He wasn't sure he used that word correctly, but he pressed on, "I think we all... kind of, maybe, innately... have an appreciation for beauty? And beautiful things, in nature in particular... are good for the soul, you know?" The longer he spoke, the pinker his cheeks got and the more hurried his words became. Regret. That was regret he was feeling and he wanted the attention away from him. "So while all these practical needs with respect to the health of the plants need to be considered for them to flourish and blossom or whatever," he gestured around briefly with a hand, referencing everyone else's answers, "it can also be beneficial to our health, maybe, to consider the way it all looks. Might not always matter, and, you know, beauty can be found in the more chaotic, messy arrangements as beauty is a, uh, subjective thing... but... yeah." He grimaced.
Stop talking, James. Breathe.
Never again. Theodore. Theodore James. Teddy or TJ. Those were some options right there. He did look like a Teddy, so Carmine settled on that. Perhaps if she was still teaching him when he was a little older, he'd object, but for now, "Nice to officially meet you, Teddy."
And when he put his hand up and offered his answer, Carmine nodded approvingly, giving the young boy a warm smile. It WAS an important answer.
"Aesthetics are very important in garden design. Not just for beauty either." She would clarify on that later too, but for now it went up on the board. Quote:
Originally Posted by hermionesclone The warning about the greenhouses and good behaviour and everything that came with it only made Lucas feel more nervous than he already was. As if he was somehow going to do those things or had done those things. Maybe that's why his heart was going thump thump thump and his palms were starting to feel sweaty.
Right. Herbology. This was a lesson.
Turning around, he looked out at the garden, the empty garden. And he was supposed to imagine a layout for this garden? An ideal garden design? Uh. Well. Did he have one?? Not really. He wasn't exactly a garden type, unless sitting on the grass and having a picnic with his siblings counted. Preferably under the stars for him.
So. Gardens. He was going to answer the last question because it seemed like the easiest, and he didn't like the sound of talking about a particular garden design. The only problem was that there were a lot of answers coming in. Common sense ones: soils, room, sunlight. Everything. Answers that made him wish he'd thought of them sooner. Answers that-
Oh!
His hand went up in the air. "Um, the pests? What kind of pests might be attracted to that bit of land you want to turn into a garden and how to protect the plants from them." Pause. "Though, I guess, other pests could come running when they see," Sense?? "that there are certain plants there. So I guess this is a full-time operation....." His voice trailed off slightly while his mind started to wander and think and-
He shook his head. "Pests." There. Done. "Yes, Lucas. Pests are important to be aware of so you can take the appropriate measures." Another answer added to the blackboard. Quote:
Originally Posted by pundantic Admittedly, Alessandro did not know that much about garden planning. Or anything at all. In his experience, there were people who were paid to handle all of those details. He listened intently to his peers as they raised point after point. Yes, he thought, shade and gnomes were probably important factors. As well as irrigation systems.
For himself, he didn't bother raising his hand. He didn't have much, if anything, important to add. He listened quietly and appreciated his classmates thoughtfulness.
Though, he would stick to gardeners. Silence from Alessandro Toussaint. As long as he was paying attention and his notes were thorough and reflective, Carmine did not mind overmuch. Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormdancer
…. The garden?
Huh. That wasn’t … where she was thinking this would go, but she could get behind it. Or at least as she listened to her class mates, she was pretty sure she could. If she could come up with something else to say. Each time she thought of something new, it was the next answer given. Huh. Hmmmmm.
Putting her hand in the hair, she kept trying to think of something and she had been going to say that they needed to look out for gnome’s and other creatures that could ruin or disturb the garden - but Lucas said that just before her. So instead, she added; “At home, we’re close to the Bay and Lochs… so perhaps a water feature for birds?” She loved water, yes. Waterfalls or features, please?
Well, Holly wasn't quite answering the given questions, so Carmine paused waiting for her to expand or elaborate, but it didn't come. "Can you explain how that relates to the questions, Holly? I'm not sure I follow your intention with your answer." Because.... well, it hadn't actually addressed any of the three questions she had phrased for this brainstorm. But she'd give the girl a chance to get back on track. Quote:
Originally Posted by TakemetotheBurrow Oh, her name! That was silly of her to forget to introduce herself. Wearing a sheepish smile, the blonde stood up a BIT taller and said, "Cecelia Elizabeth Summers, Professor. 'M a first year." Like THAT might have been in question here.
"Bet you'd want to leave space for people to move through a garden so that no plants get trampled or anything. Like, you'd want to remember to leave room for a path or maybe a bench or something if it was a big garden you were going to have so people could enjoy it without hurting the plants."
"Miss Summers. First year." Carmine repeated with the tiniest smile, as though she'd neeeeeeeeeeeever have guessed the girl was a first year. Professor Beryl had two first year children of her own, she knew.
Carmine called on her after the first round of questions had been asked and nodded along with the young girl's answer. "Yes, accessibility is really important." That went on the board too. Quote:
Originally Posted by Cassirin Oh, wow. No licking the plants. Not a good idea. Frankly, that made sense, because so many plants that Phoebe had licked in her life had caused her tongue to swell. It was a pretty standard unspoken rule in the James household: don't lick things. Apparently that was a rule at school too. Bummer.
"I sincerely apologize, Professor Beryl. I thought that 'herb' always meant edible, but that's silly, because it smells like soap and perfume in here too, and drinking perfume is terrible." Personal experience here. But anyway. "I won't do it again." But she'd do other stuff. She always did. She'd try her darnedest not to, but things always happened.
She gave her brother a long look, sort of like... why was he saying SO many words? Was he nervous? Was he really excited about plants?
"I'm Phoebe James, ma'am." Tempting to say Phoebe Skylar-Rae-Branxton-James, to see if it got her two points back, but she wasn't gonna do that. "And my grandmother has a rose garden with these big lovely hedges, and she always says the important thing is not to put plant next to each other that don't get along. I always thought that meant they had to be friends, but now I think that some plants just grow better with each other and some harm each other." Sigh. Class fail. So Phoebe and Teddy. Twins she guessed, but not necessarily. Her own children, Rajender and Shivali were not twins, and were in the same year being born at either end of the first year age spectrum. These two though, they looked like they could very well have been twins. She listened to the girl's apology and nodded gravely. "No. You won't do it again." There would be consequences, and not necessarily just in the form of punishment. "But yes," since she was answering the question, "Being aware of the companion plants is important - and Phoebe, please raise your hand before you answer a question in lessons." She said, not unkindly, but certainly expecting the girl to be mindful. She only would get the one warning. Quote:
Originally Posted by Bazinga She had slipped into her seat before class started and was ready. Herbology was one of her favorite classes and she loved that she felt closer to her dad when she was near the plants, but after the feast and all that Chloe had decided that this term was going to be different. She was going to just try to blend in more and not stand out, she stood out enough with the puke and that was not the light she wanted to be in.
So when it was time to answer she allowed others to answer before her and she just listened even closed her eyes to visualize what they were saying. It was so easy to see each garden that was talked about and she couldn't help but smile a little when the images came so freely into her mind.
Putting her hand up finally she smiled a little, "It all depends on what plants you have and what you want to do with it. Some gardens are for food, so people want them spaced correctly, planted deep enough, and planted on time for harvest. While others are for art or show where the flowers are aligned in colors or designs to make the area special. I think my favorites are when there is a little walkway in the garden and a bench to sit and look at the plants, take in their smells." Chloe was the next to call on and professor Beryl nodded at her contributions. "Thank you, Chloe." Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaya Nora pouted internally at the mention of limited number of keys for the greenhouses. Hopefully she'd get her hands on one, though. She then did as told and closed her eyes, thinking of the perfect garden arrangement, or at least what she thought was one. She had been there helping her father with his greenhouse, but he was also moving the plants all throughout the year.
Raising her hand, she looked at the professor, "It's always good to consider the season, and the soil which can be tight or loose...or a bit of both, also light, or not have that much." She stopped for a second, "then, also what plants you're planning to have...like you said, magical plants need a bit more caution than others." This made her realize she might need to spend more time with Dad during holidays from then on. "The soil is important for a myriad of reasons, yes."
Professor Beryl said, nodding at Nora and giving her a warm smile in thanks for her answer. Quote:
Originally Posted by PhoenixRising
OH and lesson was starting, of which Carsyn tuned out the introductory stuff because well, yes, she knew Professor Beryl from last term as runes and healer. She was curious about the access to the main greenhouse though and how to specifically get access. What was in there too? Was it dangerous plants? Or just similar to back at Hogwarts? Were the Beauxbatons students growing some super awesome plant to save the world? So many questions and yet .... Beryl was moving on to asking them questions. "Sunlight," Carsyn said after raising her hand. "I just mean, you have to make sure the ones that need sunlight have access and the ones that don't ... well ... aren't in the sun." Okay, that was more confusing than she intended. "also maybe need to consider if there's going to be sports played near it, because last thing you want is plants being damaged due to a stray bludger... or seekers flying through in attempts to catch the snitch, but catching a sunflower instead." Not that she might have personal experience with that. Not at all. Ahem.
"Sunlight is an important consideration, that's right Carsyn." And... as for... sports.... well, perhaps not sports specifically but, "Awareness of the garden's overall location in relation to other things is also something to keep in mind." That could go on the board too. Quote:
Originally Posted by Fireheart There was a lot of bizarre stuff happening in Herbology. Someone was licking plants, someone was eating a cookie (strictly against the rules), and someone was floating around as if they had enchanted shoes. There were a lot of strange students at Hogwarts, but it was rare to see so many odd things happening at once. Although it seemed as if everyone was acting differently now that they were at Beauxbatons.
And this was always Avalon's problem: she waited too long to answer the professor's questions, and by the time she had thought of a response, another student had already said it. The young Ravenclaw hated redundancy, so she hesitated to repeat answers that had already been shared. She racked her brain for something else to add to the conversation, opting to share her own personal opinion. Professor Beryl did say to be creative, after all.
Avalon raised her hand. "I'd want the garden to be tidy, but not too tidy, if that makes sense. Too many straight lines would make it look a bit..." she paused, trying to find the right word. She thought back to some of the 'too' perfect greenhouses that she had seen when she visited her brother in the United States. "Artificial." Usually, Avalon didn't think that anything could be too tidy or organized. But when it came to gardens, it was different. Gardens were living, breathing things. " If the garden was for me, I'd want to include a sitting area in the middle, maybe with a waterfall or fountain. It's relaxing to spend time with nature." But only if the plants were not trying to bite her arm off. "And I agree with what a lot of the others have said. The shape of the garden could affect how much sunlight and water each plant gets, and how big or small the plants grow. You'd have to take that into account when planning it." There. It wasn't the most original answer she had ever given, but at least she had contributed somehow. She called on Avalon next, and listened to the young girl's answer. She was clearly thinking about the questions and Carmine approved of that. "Yes, thank you, Avalon." Miss Sinclair always gave thoughtful answers. Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverTiger She’d established that Cole was feeling better, and then Professor Beryl had started the lesson so Carys had brought most of her attention to her. Besides, it was Herbology. One of her favorite subjects, so she felt like it deserved her full attention. That and the notice that they were allowed into the big greenhouse here at Beauxbatons and they could ask for admittance to the other areas inside there as well. It had only made her curious why the areas were restricted, really. What the reasons were, what plants might be inside those areas and if it was worth inquiring about access to a key.
Odds were her sister would say it was. But that was a question for after the lesson, as she listened to the responses already given. Including Carsyn’s, of course. “The function of the garden is always important. An herb garden would be arranged differently to a wildflower garden. Or a rose garden, a butterfly garden or a vegetable garden,” she offered, raising her hand. “Plus, you’d need to know which plants last for more than a year or if they’ll need to be replaced. Some plants need a lot more care than others, as well, so you would want them to be more accessible. Some magical plants don’t get along with non-magical plants, either, so you wouldn’t plant those near each other.”
At this point she was more curious about what kind of garden they’d be planting here, and if it was going to stay here after they left. "Yes, the garden's overall purpose is important. As are the life cycles of the plants that you choose. Good answer, Carys." Plenty of good points there that went up on the board. Quote:
Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy When Tina first saw the herbs on the table, she thought the lesson was going to cover different types of herbs and their uses… maybe even tie into potions and healing. It would make sense; Professor Beryl was the school healer, as she’d just mentioned to the class. Tina was a little surprised when Beryl said they’d come back to the herbs later and instead asked about garden designs. Did that mean they were going to come up with a design for the garden space? Because that sounded fun!
Tina turned around in her seat, peering at the empty garden space. If she was going to design a garden to go in that space, what would it look like? She absentmindedly twirled her butterfly bracelet on her wrist as she thought. Wait, that was it! A butterfly garden - not necessarily a garden to attract butterflies, but a garden shaped like a butterfly. It would be divided into four quadrants that made up the butterfly’s wings with a pathway down the middle to form the body. She was so absorbed in designing her butterfly garden that she almost forgot to answer the questions. Oops!
Tina considered things like climate, location, spacing, and the way different types of plants would interact with each other, but by the time she did, every single one of those things had already been said (some of them more than once). Ugh, now what was she going to do? She hated repeating answers, but if she didn’t say something, it would look like she wasn’t paying attention! Even the garden design example she’d thought of (a butterfly garden - in this case, a real one) was taken. As she allowed her mind to wander, she thought back to the little garden she and her dad planted when she was a child...before her life changed for the worst, and something came to her.
Her hand went up, and she said, “There’s rooftop gardens, which are exactly what the name suggests - gardens on the roofs of buildings. They’re most common in urban areas where there isn’t much space for gardening.” That was one part of the question answered; the next bit was a lot harder. “When gardening, I think it’s important to figure out how to maximize the resources you have. If you’re limited to a tiny rooftop space, for example, you’d want to choose plants that won’t grow too high and can be spaced close together, rather than something like, say, a climbing vine.” There! That technically wasn’t repeating an answer, was it? "Very true - we have a rooftop garden at my home." Carmine said with a little smile. It was their ENTIRE roof too. "And yes, the height and spacing of plants is important to consider. Good, Tina." Quote:
Originally Posted by lazykitty Dalia had completely missed something, obviously, considering that she didn't really understand why some of her classmates were introducing themselves and others were not. But, she decided that she'd-what was the phrase? Something about a bridge....?
Anyway, gardens. What did she know about them that hadn't been said already? "It's usually a good idea to run some kind of irrigation or sprinkler system through a garden so that the plants get enough water," she spoke up, hoping the professor could understand her accent. The one that was already making her stand out like a sore thumb, because how many Cubans were there in either France or England. Most who left the island usually went to the States. "And you also have to consider which plants need more shade and which need more sun, which ones would look nicest grouped together, the nutrient content of the soil and as others have said, spacing." Which is why she would never be a gardener, all of that sounded really tiring to her. "Can I ask your name, dear? You're an unfamiliar face." And Carmine liked to know her students, she made the effort to remember the names she learned.
"Irrigation, yes. Very important to note all those factors. Good answer, and please remember to raise your hand before you answer and wait to be called on." Carmine reminded gently, just as she had with a few others. The one reminder would be all. "Well, it seems we have quite a list don't we?" Carmine said, indicating the blackboard and giving them time to copy those particular notes down. "Some of you may be surprised to realise that so much can go into planning out a garden. Much of this list applies to non-magical gardens too of course." As did the concept she was about to introduce:
"Have any of you heard of the concept of permaculture?" It might be a new word to some of them. Many of them even. "Permaculture in gardening is a philosophy of working with nature rather than against it creating productive, efficient, and ecological designs. It is commonly used for growing food and crops, and ecosystems that can sustain themselves into the future by regenerating biodiversity and lost fertility. I'm not going to go into too much detail about the topic of permaculture as on its own it is very in depth, but I do suggest it as a topic for further research, particularly for those of you who are environmentally conscious." Hopefully some would be interested in learning more, but for now that was as much as they needed for context.
"One garden design that applies the concepts of permaculture is a herb spiral, which is a multi-level herb garden that optimizes growing conditions for a variety of species, giving you multiple options in a compact space." Carmine explained.
"The outside of the spiral starts at ground level and gradually spirals upward to a high point in the centre. Along the spiral there are differences in exposure, temperature, and moisture levels. The top is drier and has more sun, the lower parts are generally more moist and shaded. This means that in one small garden, you can have a range of microclimates that are suited to a variety of plants - you simply need to plan out which plants are best suited in which position in the spiral, according to their specific needs." And she was sure they were beginning to understand what they would be working on this term.
"The shape of your garden also has magical significance, and the spiral in particular is a shape that has a magical element. For those of you who enjoy Arithmancy, you may find that the specific dimensions of a spiral garden that you build can have magical resonance that has an impact on the growth of the plants within it." She wouldn't be making them calculate the magical resonance of this or that angle however: this wasn't Arithmancy, it was just interesting to note, and something some students might be curious to look into. She gave pause to allow them to catch up on their note-taking in their journals. Luckily for them, beyond this lecture part, there were handouts that they would be given instead of having to only write.
"Ancient Celtic witches and wizards, called druids were known to make use of spiral designs. They are known historically for their affinity to plant magic, and many of their spiritual and magical practices align with the modern day philosophy of permaculture." And here too there was another subject area that was relevant to the topic - History of Magic. Carmine would encourage any of the students who wished to focus more on one aspect or another of this when they got to their project later on.
"The druids have a set of three elements called Nwyfre, Gwyar, and Calas. They don't map cleanly to the elements of fire, water, air, earth, or to the elements of chemistry either, so please put your understanding of elements aside and consider these three afresh. Rather, in druidic tradition, Nwyfre is the source of life and consciousness, Gwyar is the source of change, motion, growth, and decay, and Calas is the source of form, differentiation, manifestation, and stability." And as she spoke, Carmine waved her wand and a stack of handouts began flowing around the room, each student getting one sheet of the right size to stick into their journals. "Take a look at your handouts now. I want you to consider this question: how do you think the Three Druidic Elements apply to a spiral garden?"
ooc: phew, that was a lot. Carmine expects your kiddos to take notes on what is on the blackboard, but other than that its handouts from here on out. Feel free to be creative in your answers: she wants to know how those three elements (more detail in the handout) manifest in a spiral-shaped garden specifically, but they are welcome to make their answers more general too. The lesson will continue in around 20 hours from now. If I missed you in my reply, I'll edit you in shortly. Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackboard notes What things should be kept in mind when designing a magical garden? - Accessibility (can you move through the garden? Can you reach the plants to tend them?)
- Aesthetics (consider water features, seating areas etc)
- Climate (what climate zone are you in? Is it hot or cold? Are there frosts?)
- Companion planting (will the plant benefit its near neighbours? Do you need to separate any plants)
- Dangerous plants (are they a danger to people or creatures? Does any extra care need to be taken?)
- Dimensions of garden beds (physical shape and size, constraints on growth)
- Exposure (to sun, shade, and the elements)
- Growing Seasons (make the most of the seasons so that your garden produces as much as possible, or flowers as often as possible)
- Impact on fauna (do the plants attract or repel bugs or creatures?)
- Life cycles of plants (are the plants perennial, annual, or biennial, etc)
- location of the garden (in relation to your home, and areas used for other things)
- Pests (bugs, gnomes, etc)
- Plant types (layout according to their needs)
- Purpose of the garden (for food, leisure, etc)
- Soil (Type of soil, pH of soil, soft or loose packing of soil, etc)
- Spacing of plants (consider also rate of growth, root systems, and access to nutrients)
- Time and effort (how much tending and maintenance does your garden require?)
- Water proximity (including irrigation systems, and being mindful of appropriate drainage)
Quote: What is Permaculture?
Permaculture in gardening is a philosophy of working with nature rather than against it, to create productive, efficient, and ecological designs. It is commonly used for growing food and crops, and ecosystems that can sustain themselves into the future by regenerating biodiversity and lost fertility.
Quote: What is a herb spiral?
A herb spiral is a multi-level herb garden that optimizes growing conditions for a variety of species, giving multiple options in a compact space. The outside of the spiral starts at ground level and gradually spirals upward to a high point in the centre. Along the spiral there are differences in exposure, temperature, and moisture levels. The top is drier and has more sun, the lower parts are generally more moist and shaded. This means that in one small garden, you can have a range of microclimates suited to a variety of plants.
SPOILER!!: The Three Druid Elements handout The Three Druid Elements: Nwyfre, Calas, and Gwyar
In order to craft effective ceremonies to support sustainable activities, we need an underlying theory that helps us work with various flows of energy.
The three elements are worth considering as an alternative or used in conjunction with the four elements, especially in regards to nature spiritual practices surrounding the land. These three terms use Welsh words and pronunciations (like many other things coming out of Revival Druidry). They do not cleanly map onto the four elements, so don’t try to see them that way. See them, instead, as an alternative elemental system that emphasizes different properties of the world–all elemental systems do that, generally–they serve as an archetype of things that we can see or experience or know. They are three archtypes, three ways of representing the inner and outer worlds of our experience. Nwyfre (NOOiv-ruh): This first druid element is represents the life force and consciousness within each living being. It is associated with the sky and the heavens; it represents the spirit of things; the mind. The term means “sky” or “heaven” in the Welsh language.
Nwyfre in a gardening/growing/land healing context refers to the spirit of life flowing through each of the plants. This is the spark of life that encourages a seed to grow; it is the magic within the plant; and in some forms of herbalism, this would be the spiritual energy of the plant and the plant spirit itself. Nwyfre is not a physical thing (like Gwyar or Calas, see below); it is the spirit behind the physical thing. Nwyfre is often what we refer to when we talk about things unseen, “energies” of spaces and people.
Nwyfre is also the mental processes associated with gardening–its the design work, the thoughtfulness, the planning and careful consideration. Its the feeling you get when you enter the garden; its the awareness that is awakened with a sacred connection to the plants. Gwyar (GOO-yar): This druid element represents the principle of flow, of movement, and of change. It is associated with the energy of the water (although is not limited to it); it represents the change that is inherent in all living things. The term means “flow” or “fluidity” in the Welsh language and we can refer to it as energy flows (in physical manifestation) of all kinds.
Gwyar is responsible for the change we see in the plants across the season; its the growth of the seed from spout to adult plant and finally into decay; its the flow of the seasons moving ever forward. Gwyar is the flow of the sap in the maple trees that first signals spring; its the growth of the plants; the budding and leafing of the trees; the ripening of the fruit; and the eventual composting and decay at the end of the season. Gwyar is the flows of nutrients in the great soil web of all life. It is the principle of Gwyar we see in photosynthesis, the conversion of light into energy and oxygen by plants. For homebrewers, it is gwyar that allows the physical fermentation and transformation of grains or fruit into alcohol. It is this principle of flow in herbalism, also, that allows the medicine to move from the plant matter into a menstra (for tea, tinctures, etc). When permaculture designers talk about “catch and store energy” we are referring to harnessing the Gwyar in the land for common good (through rain barrels, swales, solar power, and so on). Calas (CAH-lass): The final druid element is Calas, representing solidity or substance. Calas is that which is the physical manifestation of things within the world: their form, their substance, and their features that help distinguish them. This is the welsh word for “hard” or “stability.”
Calas is the physical being of the plants in the garden, the soil, the microbial life. It is Calas you feel when you pick up the rich soil and run it through your fingers. It is Calas that is the feeling of your tools in your hand (although its Gwyar that makes those tools work!). Its Calas that is in the vegetables sitting in your harvest basket and ready for your plate. All of the physical manifestations of your garden; the solidity of the pathways, the size of the beds, the physical structure of the plants; the weight of the stones–these are Calas. Excerpt from Sacred Gardening through the Three Druid Elements by Dana O’Driscoll
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Last edited by TeafortheSoul; 09-06-2019 at 03:03 PM.
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