Guardians of the Seeds - Coastal Maine Botanical Garden Trolls

The Trolls, the Trolls! My buddy Shannon, and I, made it to the Botanical Gardens yesterday. What an amazing Troll-filled day we had. Note that all quotes (in brown) are from the information posts about the trolls in the gardens.

ROSKVA

While crossing the bridge from the visitor's center to the gardens proper, I happened to look to my right and spied the first troll, Roskva. Can you see her?

As we got closer, some of Roskva's details and amazing height started to become obvious. I don't know about you, but I was so excited to see this masterpiece of recycled wood. Click here to learn about the artist and the trolls at the Gardens.

When we reached her, up close and personal, I was overwhelmed with her actual size! Until you see the trolls in person, you cannot truly appreciate them! And appreciate them we must as they are the Guardians of the Seeds. 

"Roskva stands for the TRUNK of the tree. Roskva is the heaviest, hardest, and strongest of the trolls. Every day, Roskva climbs towards the sky, and every year she grows taller and wider. If a troll forgets something, they can always ask Roskva–she counts the seasons and remembers everything that happens around her."

A docent was kind enough to take a photo of Shannon and I with Roskva. We were dwarfed by her height!

BIRK

We walked down the Haney Hillside and then along the Shoreland Trail to visit with the next troll.

Oh my goodness! As we rounded a bend in the trail, Birk's head could be seen above the young pine trees.

There he was, lounging on the ground, or so it seemed. You see, "Birk holds the ROOTS of the tree." But there is more to his story...

"Birk is the wisest and most mysterious of the trolls. He hides in the shadows and listens to the whispers of the soil. He knows everything that happens in the wild, and every day he tells tales to all the other creatures of the forest."

"Birk knows that a tree's roots are as big as the branches above it. In the forest, these roots are all connected to each other."

"Trees use this wood-wide web to signal to each other who needs food or who is in trouble from pests and disease."

Shannon posed next to Birk's foot show the scale of this fabulous troll. As he lounges here year after year, the wood that makes him up will return to the soil and nourish the tree roots below.

Of course, I had to have my "troll time" as well!

GRO

We left Birk and made our way toward the Rhododendron Garden. As we traversed the North Trail we came upon GRO.

I felt immediately at peace. "GRO smiles with the LEAVES of the tree."

To know GRO is to love GRO.

"GRO is a wanderer. Every fall she disappears, but the trolls are not worried because every spring she returns to the forest. On her return, GRO walks around to make sure every friend of hers is fed. After hurrying to catch a few sunbeams and a handful of raindrops, she creates a feast for the forest."

Those of us who are lovers of forests appreciate all of the bounty that GRO provides. "Most of us can't eat sunlight, but GRO knows trees can–with their leaves." "Using the Sun, leaves make animal life on Earth possible."

SØREN

After admiring the waterfall and flowering plants in the Rhododendron Garden, we took the Maine Woodland Trail toward Birch Allée.

As we walked, we saw an unusual troll sitting in the middle of the trail with his hair sticking straight back as if the wind was blowing it. SØREN was here.

We followed other visitors and entered this section of the trail under SØREN'S bent knee. First came Shannon,

followed by me. What a funny way to walk a trail! SØREN was so whimsical. 

"SØREN sticks up for the BRANCHES of the tree." And, branches he has for his hair!

"SØREN is a very curious troll; his head is always turning and twisting, searching for places ever higher. He dreams about drifting around on a cloud in the sky, and when the wind is blowing, he loves to celebrate with a dance."

"SØREN can see that up in the branches there is a whole other world. Branches are alive."  Reach for the sky, SØREN!

LILJA

Our last stop was to see one of my favorite trolls. To get to her we hitched a ride down Birch Allée toward the Children's Garden.

Oh my, I felt an instant connection to LILJA. Why is that, you might ask? Well, it is because "LILJA holds the scent of the FLOWERS of the tree." And, for some silly reason, I felt the need to tickle her tummy!

"Just last summer, Lilja came out from her hiding place. The youngest of the trolls, she's still just a child. She loves the colors and the scents of the flowers and when bees and butterflies fly among branches." 

I truly get LILJA because I am the same way. I adore flowers and I truly believe that "Everybody needs flowers!" And, off we went to the Children's Garden where flowers, fairies, veggies, chickens, frogs, and fish thrive! LILJA's spirit is part of everything we saw there! 

By the way, we walked close to 4 miles on this adventure!