European Linden, Common Lime Tree 'Wratislaviensis'

These are growing all over Berlin Germany. Truely an intoxicating smell all the time. One of my favorite, if not my favorite tree.

For the old Germans the lindentree was a holy tree..their godess Freya lived in it. Somewhat later lindentree was considered to be a prot...Read Moreector for houses, their wells and churches. A lindentree is often planted to memorize a person or a event. For our little princess Amalia a lindentree has been planted in most of the Dutch communities.

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) has put a poem by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866) about the fragnance of its blossoms into music. It is "Ich atmet' einen linden Duft!" , the first song of his beautifull Rückertlieder. I 've found a English translation of the song...

I breathed a gentle fragrance!
In the room stood
a sprig of linden,
a gift
from a dear hand.
How lovely was the fragrance of linden!

How lovely is the fragrance of linden!
That twig of linden
you broke off so gently!
Softly I breathe in
the fragrance of linden,
the gentle fragrance of love.

Yes..the most remarkable from this tree I find its sweet fragnance when it is blooming. I 've experienced that its fragnance can truly give you comfort during sad times. Because it is often planted in public gardens and along roadsides it even can make a "stinking" town wonderfull scented at that time..special after a warm summerday or a summer's rain. When you stand under it ..wow..what a buzzz...it sounds like a big pub..for bees..
Lindenhoney is very tasty.