Plants in Lan Su Chinese Garden In Chinese gardens, plants serve many purposes. They provide beauty, color, texture, and fragrance. They also help to convey meaning. The Chinese believe that nature is the best teacher. Plants can teach us ways to behave. For example, pine, plum, and bamboo planted together are known as the “Three Friends of Winter.” Together they show us how to persevere or endure during difficult times. (left) Pine trees never lose their needles under the harsh conditions of winter. The pine shows us how to not give up during harsh or tough times. The pine is a loyal friend. (center) The plum tree senses the first signs of winter’s thaw and braves the cold of winter to blossom. The plum can teach us courage. The plum is a brave friend. (right) The bamboo bends in winter storms, but does not break. Bamboo can teach us flexibility but also integrity from outside pressures. The bamboo is a flexible and tolerant friend. (The limestone rock in the center of the “Friends of Winter” is a Lake Tai stone. These rocks are formed underwater, with the flow of the lake creating their unique shapes.) Activity Think about your own friends. Do your friends have qualities like the pine, plum, and bamboo? Have you ever learned something important from a friend? Write a paragraph on what qualities you like your friends to have. Lan Su Chinese Garden | Post Office Box 3706 | Portland, Oregon 97208 | 503.228.8131 | www.lansugarden.org.