The Four Seasons

Well, the girls are finally here. Jamie and I have wanted to add the four season statues to our garden for a long time, but were uncertain as to where we could put them. When we finally completed the new back bed Jamie suggested it would be a good place. After searching forever, we finally found a place we could get them. The unstained statues weren’t that hard to find, but finding the pedestals that came with them was a different story. After debating the existence of them with several companies I was finally able to convince a nursery in Montgomery to search. They found them and were willing to order them for us. They came in last Monday and Jamie and I went to the nursery to pick them up this past Saturday. In the photo below there is a 4th goddess waaaaaaaay down at the end that isn’t visible. There was just no way to capture all four in the same photo because although it may not look like it, this bed is 75 feet long.

The Horai were the four Greek goddesses of the seasons. In original mythology there were only two seasons, Thallo and Karpo or blooming and fruiting. Later the seasons became three goddesses to exclude winter. It wasn’t until the 4th or 5th century that all four seasons were represented by goddesses and given a name. Very little information is available on what is considered to be the 4th generation Horai that symbolize all seasons. They were mentioned in the epic tale ‘Dionysiaca’ produced by Nonnus in the 5th century and have been represented as 4 since that time.

The goddess of spring, Eiar, is usually found holding a bouquet or garland of flowers.

Theros, the goddess of summer, is usually holding a harvest of wheat. When purchasing the statues you may sometimes find fall and summer misidentified.

The goddess of fall, Autumnus, is found holding grapes or some other fruit.

Chiemon, the goddess of winter is usually found wearing a cloak or long sleeved garment and sometimes holding a flame.

This will most likely be the last statuary purchased for the garden. I think once the privet and other shrubs grow in to screen the distracting view of the houses the statues are going to look great. Not to mention the bed is practically void of any perennial planting. I had hoped to take care of that this year. For now, I’m really starting to feel a little gardened out, if we get the new plants in the bed this fall that’s great, if not there is always next spring. :-) I hope everyone has a great week!