And what is retirement for, if not to make a few dreams come true? And what is a garden for, if not to satisfy the longings of your heart?
I have learned a lot from watching the garden of my best garden buddy, Bub, develop. The most satisfying garden, for the gardener and for others, is one that grows out of the desires of your heart. Bub’s garden is filled with hellebores, daylilies, and even trees that she grew from seed, musical instruments she can play, birds, chipmunks, and squirrels she can watch and feed, and a labyrinth through which she walks.
She has far more passalong plants than rarities, but the garden is laid out well; each area has a purpose and you are gently led from one area to the next. Gordon Hayward would approve. This time of the year, her garden is glorious with daffodils, which put me in mind to share it with you, but there’s too much to fit into a blog entry. I wrote an article about her garden for Upstate Gardeners’ Journal last spring; it’s reprinted here. Lucky for you, I was able to include more photographs than were originally published with the article. At the end of that article are links to more information.
Think about your own garden: What is there about it that says “you”?
That is absolutely beautiful! I wish I had the space to grow a huge garden such as yours. The Labryth reminds me of my childhood…
My gardens are messy and constantly changing. You’re right! They are like me. I’m very messy and always trying new things.
I love Bub’s labyrinth. Hmmm…I wonder if I could work one into my yard.
Carol, without ever having seen your garden, I suspect it would be the fairies that would say “you” more than anything else. But I suppose your vegetable garden, culitvated with the same Germanic orderliness as your gardening ancestors, also says a bit about you.
Interesting question, “what is it about your garden that says ‘you’?” I think for me it is my vegetable garden or maybe it is my overgrown night blooming cereus.