Green Grow the Rushes, Oh! Green in Nature, Design and Song
Photo by Alexandra Rowley.
As tiny dashes of green dot the landscape to announce the coming of spring, I’m reminded of a song that I learned in childhood: Green Grow the Rushes, Oh! Akin to classic counting songs such as A Partridge in a Peartree and 99 Bottles of Beer, this English folk song has twelve verses and begins with the declaration “I’ll sing you one, oh!” Whereas many of the traditional lyrics refer to biblical themes, more recent interpretations of the song contain new subject matter. In the Sesame Street version, for example, frogs, dragonflies and honeybees play leading roles.
Guava, color Leaf Green. Photo by Alexandra Rowley.
My favorite part of the song is the chorus. Sung with gusto between each verse, the refrain (and title), Green Grow the Rushes, Oh!, reminds us of how the color green, a symbol of the natural world, winds through all of creation. This idea captures why green is such an important color in the Mazy Path palette. Shades of green, from chartreuse to emerald, run through many of our designs evoking the central role that nature plays in our inspiration.
Pawpaw, color Leaf Green. Photo by Alexandra Rowley.
Green grounds our pattern Pawpaw, a design that celebrates the pawpaw, America’s largest native fruit.
Willow Talk, color Emerald. Photo by Alexandra Rowley.
Green anchors our pattern Willow Talk, a design that explores how fungal networks help trees share resources with one another.
Wild Ramps, color Lilac & Green.
Green animates our pattern Wild Ramps, a design that features wild onions known for their bold flavor.
Mangrove, color Leaf Green. Photo by Alexandra Rowley.
Green plays host to our pattern Mangrove, a design that pays homage to mangrove forests and their role in protecting both coastlines and biodiversity.
Virginia Strawberry, color Leaf Green.
And green trails through our pattern Virginia Strawberry, a design that reminds us that summer’s sweet treasures are just a few green months away.
Until then, may your springtime be filled with nature, design and song!