We have, hereintofore, considered the various locales favored y our ancestors at the turn of the last century when it came to romance. The people passing through the years 1900-1920 hand-in-hand (lip-to-lip, perhaps, but that’s really as far as the mails would let ‘em go) have been shown to enjoy the comforts of benches, hammocks, haystacks, and the back seats of primitive automobiles. But we must not ignore their choices in landscaping.
If we have learned anything from our journey through the world of flower language (and that was optional) it is that certain of our ancestors were fully alive to the bounty of nature. When choosing a spot for a romantic rendezvous, certain aesthetics were considered ideal. Even for those whose aesthetic requirements extending to no more than a modicum of privacy, foliage was very significant. Consider the couple holding hands next to what I had dubbed the Peacock Bush. Not only do they have the wafting aroma of all those blossoms to carry their hearts to new heights, but they are also concealed from viewers at the other side of the park. (They do not seem to care about the camera taking pictures for postcards, but hey…it’s spring.)
This alarming topiary, on the other hand, does not offer much shelter, though it IS vaguely heart-shaped. (I don’t think he’s getting very far. If she was really interesting, she wouldn’t be sitting that way, taking up the whole bench so he can’t squeeze in next to her.)
This couple has chosen more wisely. They have picked a hiding spot with LOTS of cover.
Whereas this couple, courting long before the days of drones with cameras, are not likely to be found by anybody until they’re ready to be found.
Some people, of a more adventurous nature, seem to have favored trees. These provided a spot less likely to be found by passing wildlife, and, in the right season, offered plenty of cover. Certain hazards accompanied this sort of spooning spot, but, as this caption notes, the higher up the fruit grows, the sweeter it is.
Which is, I am certain, the only message communicated by this…I wonder who’s supposed to be speaking here. I mean, if he’s the one…but he wouldn’t say anything like that on a postcard. Anyway, she’s the picking cherries, of course, and the one offering the man…we’ll just move along, shall we?
The tree also offered refuge to lovers in public parks, where the police patrolled to make sure no courting couples went beyond the bounds of decency. (Public kissing was actually banned in a number of communities.) This couple found a slightly elevated bench without having to climb a whole tree, though it has not saved them from the watchful eye of the law.
Ah, it was an era when plant life and the good life were seen as natural partners. Not that we have given up the shady bower or the treetop rendezvous. But the machine age was well o its way for romantics of a new generation.
Blogsy Babbles 