Grace Church Bible Garden

Grace Church Bible Garden Over 190 species of plants named in Scripture or native to the Mediterranean in a meditative space of beauty producing food for body, mind and spirit.

Ever wondered what those "new ropes" that Delilah tied around Samson were made of? (Answer: In Hebrew, they're termed "yetarim," which is the same word as a member of the daphne tribe. The bark of these ornamental shrubs peel off in long thin strips used to make, you guessed it, rope. Daphne aureomarginata, top of the stairs on the right.) Pondered what Job means when he talks about tasteless egg

white in 6:6? (Answer: The word is "khallamut," which is a member of the mallow family, a kind of hollyhock. Its roots yield a goo like that of the marsh-mallow, itself rather bland without sugar and vanilla. Bristly Galilee hollyhock, the rare alcea setosa, blooms between the lilac and the cedar of Lebanon at the north side of the labyrinth.) Been perplexed by why Jesus would say the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds when it's clearly small, but not tiny? (Answer: Sinapis alba is the smallest seed that the Talmud says can be taxed, and a spot of blood smaller than a mustard seed doesn't defile the thing it touches. Mustard is the smallest seed which matters legally, not the smallest biologically. And it also blows everywhere--red curly mustard has popped up all over our garden.) The Bible's written in an agricultural society, and plant references abound. We've done our best to plant everything that will survive our humid summers and cold winters--except for really invasive weeds like tares, and really boring trees like walnuts. Pop by for a visit and experience plants that, otherwise, would require ticket to Tel Aviv...

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Carthage, MO

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+14173584631

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Ever wondered what Job means when he talks about tasteless “egg white” in 6:6? (Answer: The word is "khallamut," which is a member of the mallow family, a kind of hollyhock, not the base for meringue. Its roots yield a goo like that of the marsh-mallow, itself rather bland without sugar and vanilla. Bristly Galilee hollyhock, the rare alcea setosa, blooms on the north-east side of the labyrinth.)

Been perplexed by why Jesus would say the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds when it's clearly small, but not tiny? (Answer: Sinapis alba is the smallest seed that the Talmud says can be taxed, and a spot of blood smaller than a mustard seed doesn't defile the thing it touches. Mustard is the smallest seed which matters legally, not the smallest biologically. And it also blows everywhere--red curly mustard has popped up all over our garden.)

The Holy Land isn’t all desert: in an area the size of New Hampshire are alpine mountains and luxurious Mediterranean valleys, tangled jungle in the Jordan Valley and oak-pine forests. And yes, desert too, replete with oases with waterfalls and palm trees. Sitting at the intersection of three major climatic zones, this small area boasts 2867 species of plant, including literally dozens of our classic garden plants. Daffodils, hollyhocks, tulips, crocus, hyacinth are some of the many plants early pilgrims brought home as living souvenirs of their visits to the holy places. Over 180 of those species find a home in our garden, including most of the plants actually named in the Bible.

Scripture begins in a garden: Eden. It ends in a garden, where the tree with the leaves for the healing of the nations blooms in Revelation. And it finds its high point in a garden, where a Resurrected Savior is mistaken for a gardener. The Bible's written in an agricultural society, and plant references abound. We’ve done our best to plant everything that will survive our humid summers and cold winters--except for really invasive weeds like tares, and really boring trees like walnuts. Pop by for a visit and experience plants that, otherwise, would require ticket to Tel Aviv...