Seeds of a City: Paul de Chomedey and the Blooming of Montreal
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
May 17, 1642
On this day, dear readers, we find ourselves transported to the banks of the St. Lawrence River, where Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, a French military officer, catches his first glimpse of what would become Montreal.
This moment, frozen in time, marks the beginning of a grand adventure - the founding of Fort Ville-Marie, which would grow into the vibrant city of Montreal we know today.
Imagine, if you will, the scene as described by George Waldo Browne in his 1905 book, The St. Lawrence River: Historical, Legendary, Picturesque:
On the 17th of May, the rounded slopes of Mount Royal, clad in the delicate green foliage of spring, burst into sight, stirring the hearts of the anxious beholders with newfound joy.
They were delighted with the scenery.
The fragrance of the springing forest permeated the balmy air, and, what was dearer far to them, over the water and over the landscape, rested an air of peace quite in keeping with their pious purpose.
Can you not smell the fresh, green scent of spring?
Can you not feel the gentle breeze carrying the promise of new beginnings?
Our intrepid explorers, led by Maisonneuve, were not merely seeking a new settlement, but a place to plant their faith and cultivate a community.
Browne continues:
Maisonneuve was the first to step upon the land, and as the others followed him... they fell upon their knees, sending up their songs of praise and thanksgiving.
Their first work was to erect an altar at a favorable spot within sight and sound of the riverbank, the women decorating the rough woodwork with some of the wildflowers growing in abundance upon the island, until the whole, looked very beautiful.
Picture, if you will, this makeshift altar, adorned with the vibrant wildflowers of the island.
What a sight it must have been - rough-hewn wood transformed by nature's bounty!
This moment, where faith and flora intertwine, sets the stage for the city that would grow from these humble beginnings.
As the settlers gathered around their floral altar, M. Barthelemy Vimont performed high mass. His closing words to the congregation were prophetic indeed:
You are a grain of mustard seed that shall rise and grow till its branches overshadow the earth.
How fitting that he should choose a botanical metaphor for this nascent settlement!
From this tiny seed of faith and determination, planted on that spring day in 1642, would indeed grow a mighty tree - the great city of Montreal.
As we reflect on this moment in history, let us consider the power of new beginnings.
Just as Maisonneuve and his followers saw promise in the green slopes of Mount Royal, so too can we find hope and possibility in the gardens we tend and the communities we nurture.
Perhaps, as you plant your own gardens this spring, you might pause to consider the legacy of those who came before us. What seeds are you planting today that might grow to "overshadow the earth"?
And let us not forget the simple beauty of wildflowers, which transformed a rough altar into something beautiful. In our own lives, how might we use the natural beauty around us to elevate the everyday into something extraordinary?
So, dear readers, as you go about your day, take a moment to appreciate the "delicate green foliage of spring" around you.
Who knows?
You might just be standing at the threshold of your own Montreal, ready to plant the seeds of something magnificent!