What are we growing in the garden of our heart?

Song of Solomon compares our hearts to a garden and vividly describes the various fruits and spices that are to be growing there.

Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.

Two ways of interpreting these nine choice fruits and spices are:

They correspond to the nine fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23.
Their meaning is revealed through their original Hebrew root word.

read part 1 here

read part 2 here

Frankincense

Fruit of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness

Hebrew: Purity

Frankincense is the only oil in the world which floats, defying nature. Faith also defies the natural, as the “evidence of things unseen” (Heb. 11:1).
Frankincense is a gum resin that flows from the inner wood of a tree. The original Hebrew word comes from a root meaning “pure” or “white,” due to the white resin. When this resin is burned, it creates incense.
Frankincense represents our pure worship and prayers that ascend to the throne of God (Rev. 8:3-4). We are to be “faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).
(References 1-2,4-6)

Myrrh

Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness

Hebrew: Bitter Suffering

Myrrh is the first fragrance mentioned in reference to Jesus (Ps. 45:8). Myrrh, along with cassia,was the greatest ingredient in the holy anointing oil, which speaks of Jesus (Exod. 30:23-25). Myrrh was one of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus (Matt. 2:11), and the first characteristic of Jesus’ heart is meekness (Matt. 11:29).
Myrrh is derived from the thick gum that flows from the pierced bark of a knotted, thorny tree. The gum hardens into red drops called “tears.” The Hebrew root word means “bitter suffering.” Myrrh was one of the gifts the Magi brought to Jesus as a child, which foreshadowed His bitter suffering on the cross (Matt. 2:11).
The original sense of the Greek word, “distilling in drops,” is likened to a slow process of purification. Likewise, we are to die to our flesh in order to do God’s will (Matt. 16:25).
(References 1-2,4-6)

Aloes

Fruit of the Spirit: Temperance

Hebrew: Odoriferous Tree

Aloes represent temperance, but most translations render this word as “self-control,” even though the original word is “lordship,” with no reference to “self.” Therefore, aloes represent being Spirit-led, submitted to God.
Aloes comes from a Hebrew root word meaning “odoriferous tree,” from which a spicy perfume could be extracted after the leaves were crushed. Likewise, Jesus was crushed for our healing (Isa. 53:5).
The word aloes is also derived from an Arabic word meaning “little tents.” Tents represent intimacy with God (Exod. 33:7; 2 Sam. 6:17). Submission to God leads to intimacy with Him (John 12:50).
(References 1, 3-7)