Peonies & Doves

Doves are very closely related to pigeons and in some languages, their names are interchangeable. Despite their delicate appearance, doves are extremely strong fliers and known for their agile maneuvering due to their large, powerful wings - even the name ‘dove’ is rooted in a germanic word that refers to their tendency to dive. Doves can live almost anywhere and are found all over the world, with the exception of the harshest environments such as the artic or sahara desert. Peony flowers represent healing and prosperity. Their name is deirived from Greek mythology - a god named Paeon - who was the student of Ascleius (the Greek god of medicine and healing). Paeon was said to have healed wounds on both Ares and Hades. He was once instructed by Apollo’s mother, Leto, to obtain a magical root from the mountains that soothed the pain of childbirth. Asclepius, however, grew jealous of his pupil’s natural ability to heal and threatened to kill him. Zues saved Paeon from Asclepius’s wrath by turning him into a peony. Incidently, peony seeds were actually used by pregnant women in ancient times. The roots, seeds, bark and flower of the peony can be used for medicinal purposes. The Chinese first used them as pain relievers. They were brought to Europe in the early 1200’s and used to ease the pain of childbirth, cure gallstones, and ward off evil spirits. They are still used in Eastern medicine but have not been popular in Western medicine since the middle ages.