I became impatient listening to the tour guide explain 700 years of Spanish history. Already I calmly sat through a long bus ride from the port of Cadiz to Seville to get to the Royal Palace Gardens of Alcazar. I wanted only to see the garden. So. . . . I slipped away from our tour group.
Author: Linda
Two birds in a tree
I spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon admiring yellow, pink, peach and red cactus blooms at the Desert Botanical Garden. Walking out I noticed a crowd looking up at something moving in a blooming palo verde tree. A road runner was flitting about in the branches. What a treat to see this rare bird in plain sight in the middle of the day! A mourning dove was sitting on a nest in the same tree. Everyone was happily watching.
Spring Garden Road & Summer Street
What else could one expect to find at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Summer Street but a jewel of a garden? In Halifax, Nova Scotia you will find a rare Victorian Garden. This fanciful and elaborate style of garden is not often found in our modern age, but this path to the past is a grand experience.
Flowering Branches
Perhaps the very instant spring begins is that brief sunny moment when bare branches burst from bud to flower. Dormant limbs feeling the stir of seasonal change bud and swell with the news that winter is waning. Seemingly overnight the bleak branch canopy suddenly commands our attention as we notice the burst of flowers filling a tree. Flowers before leaves, before fruit and seed pods simply fascinate a gardener, who willingly rakes and sweeps the debris that follows the spectacular show of flowering trees.
Escalante Community Garden
What Grows along side fruits & vegetables?
When a person has a passion, a purpose and a connection to the natural world it can feed a hunger of the soul. Dave Talley, head gardener of this community garden may have found a way to prevent starvation for many people. Certainly the garden provides food for the community food pantry, so the physical hunger is reduced. Yet the contribution to the garden made by community members including many homeless individuals may be preventing the starvation of spirit that seems epidemic in so many urban souls. Richard Louv writes in his book Last Child in the Woods & in the follow up The Nature Principal about the importance of time in the natural world for keeping our mental and physical health intact. We need nature in our lives but also in our neighborhoods.  Planting seeds, petting chickens, picking peppers all introduce nature to children of all ages. This garden boasts 43 raised beds growing organic crops of broccoli, kale, leeks, cabbages, calendula, sunflowers, herbs and more. Managing all of this falls to Dave, formerly a homeless man for six years, he positively glows with enthusiasm as he point out the features of the garden. He gently strokes one of 26 hens named “Jessie” as he describes meeting the challenges of the garden. He has completed the Master Gardener certificate program and is currently enrolled in the Desert Botanical Garden training course. He supervises and manages the watering, the planting schedule and the organic practices. There are 25 fruit trees growing. There are art projects covering the walls. There are innovative planters, recycling ideas. A garden grows hope.
Forecast: Cold and Beautiful
When the temperature is freezing not many people set out to visit gardens. I, however, did just that, taking a trip to Tucson to visit Tohono Chul Park, and Garden. The frost covers were out, the air was bracing and the blue sky filled with wisps of clouds. These were repeat visits so I know the gardens are beautiful in fine weather so I expected a change of scene due to the threat of freezing temperatures.
A Gardener’s Resolutions
I resolve to dig the holes before I go to the nursery.
I resolve to not purchase a plant that doesn’t have a chance of survival in this climate.
I resolve to keep the plant labels that come with the plant. (and in my spare time learn the Latin names)
Fruit & Vegetable Resolutions
Eyeful, Plateful, Basketful!
Oh the ritual of new year’s resolutions challenging us to be our better self has come around again. The predictable but valid ones reappear; save money, spread kindness, and eat better are high on the list. As gardeners, at least one of our resolutions is likely to include something related to fruits and vegetables. We not only resolve to eat more fruits and vegetables but to grow our own bountiful harvest! There are many wonderful reasons deeply rooted in our souls which drive us to succeed, yet how disappointing when our seeds of optimism dry up. However, I have a fruit and vegetable resolution that is truly attainable. Resolve to get an eyeful of the beauty fruits and vegetables provide all year long.
Gazing Balls
Bright & Shiny
This time of year Christmas trees decorated with lights and ornaments are showing up all around the town. If you decorate a tree with traditional glass ornaments in red, gold, or silver you will see the beauty surrounding you reflected in their shiny surface. Stories of glass ball ornaments trace back to the 1800’s in Germany, though the origin of glass balls has been documented back to the 1300’s. Venetian glass blowers began creating colorful spheres as gazing balls to reflect the light and the view of gardens. The fragile and colorful balls were a sign of wealth and status used to accessorize the gardens of kings. King Ludwig II, King of Bavaria during the 1800’s, adorned his palace, Herrenchiemsee, his replica of Versailles, with these gazing balls. Could there be a connection?
The River Cafe, Brooklyn, NY
Hurricane Sandy has done such harm. Many lives were lost, homes destroyed, business devastated and natural beauty permanently altered. Living in the West it is hard to grasp just how much damage this area of our country has received. I was in New York last fall and as I read today’s news I recognize areas where I visited. An article in the NYTimes (11/11/2012) described the damage done to “The River Cafe” in Brooklyn. This 35 year old restaurant is an icon of elegant, formal dinning. This is where one went for very special dinner occasions, such as marriage proposals, significant birthdays and anniversary celebrations. According to the Times article one evening not long ago 7 couples were each celebrating their 25th anniversary in the dining room.