Saturday, March 20, 2010

Garden Dreams ~ keeping a garden journal

                      HAPPY first day  OF SPRING! 

It's time for new GARDEN DREAMS and celebrating the many wonders of a new season!
Spring offers us ALLFRESH new start!


 
Wonderful things are happening  in my garden already! Come see!


The CROCUS are up and smiling this morning! Bringing a much needed burst of color and optimism to the new season!


In my morning walk around the garden I noticed other " not so obvious signs" of spring with a closer look.


Daylillies to come!


 Here they are showing off  in my SUMMER GARDEN!


Achillea
Strawberry Seductions ( "yarrow") delicate fern like leaves are just peaking out of the soil. Notice I have not raked the leaves away just yet...We could still have a light snow or frost here in New England so I will wait a bit longer to  clean up my beds. Before long they will look like this!


 Look what else I found! Monarda d. "Jacob Cline" Bee Balm peaking through the leaves!





It's BRIGHT RED blossoms light up my SUMMER garden like no other flower can!

 One of my annual spring rituals is to head outside on a sunny spring morning coffee in hand and open up my garden journal ( binder ) to see how many of my garden dreams were brought to fruition from the previous year. At the same time, I love to tuck away some new ideas for the coming season.


" I spend a little time daydreaming with it in the early spring, then I rarely look at it again over the summer; For an instant it makes me feel as if I am gardening even if only in my dreams."

    It's not very fancy, but it is practical. I save fancy for the garden!


I use see- through plastic sleeves to store pictures I have clipped out of garden magazines. They work great for holding seed packets too and the little plastic plant info cards that come with plants from the nursery!



I have some colorful  lined paper to make the occasional note on along the way. I write down the names of plants I would like to add, their height, and bloom time, and I always make a special note about the color of my chosen dream flowers. My gardens are largly color driven, size and texture come second but at the end of the day play an equal part to the over all design and splendor!

Don't overlook native plantings for your yard! I once planted a small wild flower garden in a 4x8 space and it did beautifully!



Garden magazines and books for children and adults are wonderful sources for inspiration if you don't have the luxury of actually traveling to the English Countryside to get a first hand look!  I also enjoy visiting friends gardens, and attending local garden tours for further inspiration.

 Here are three annual garden tours you might like from my neck of the woods Cape Cod and the Islands!  

Cape Cod Lavender Farm 
Heritage Museum and Gardens
Nantucket Daffodil Festival


 Gardeners who continue to inspire me ~

Some of these incridible women are no longer with us here on earth, but they are in spirit! The Gardens they left behind for us to learn from still live on through the help of volunteers. We also have their many books to steel away with while dreaming about our own gardens. The ones who are still with us today are such gifts! They are still growing and sharing their lives and talents with us along the way. They offer us hope with new and fresh ideas to try ourselves and share with our families and friends.

Today, on this first day of SPRING, I am so grateful for them all!

When I read about the miracles they have accomplished through gardening and the lives they have, and will change for the better I am always inspired to get out there and GROW! 

Have you met?
Celia Thaxtor
Gertrude Jeckyll
Marcia Simonds
Mary Jane Butters
Sharon Lovejoy
Tasha Tudor

Gardening is Good Medicine~  whether in a pot or a large plot, go forth with your own garden dreams and put down some roots! You'll just feel better... I promise!  ~ Deborah Jean







Share your Garden Dreams here! We're just getting started!

I'll go first! My biggest garden dream this year is to add a few small sections of picket fencing to my garden for charm and a bit of structure. Wish me luck!

5 comments:

Child in Harmony said...

Dear Deb,
I am sooo deeply honored to have been included in your list among all the other inspiring women.

I don't feel I quite measure up to them... but thank you for recognizing me ...and knowing that I *am* passionate about my life and connecting people to the glorious natural world we live in ..to live in harmony :)

Much love
marcia

Unknown said...

Your most welcome Marcia!

I " know " how deeply you feel about your message and am happy to help you share it where ever I can!
It's true, your accomplishements are not as well known as the other gardners I mentioned, but that doesn't make your talents any less inspiring to those of us who do know you! I can only imagine that the best is yet to come from you and all you hope to accomplish!

KEEP AT IT as our dear friend
" Tasha Tudor " used to say!

Much love back! :)
Deb~

Laurie said...

Dear Deborah,

You have a beautiful blog and a beautiful life. I love your homeschooling ideas and wish I had had the courage to do what you're doing earlier.

I'm now homeschooling my 17 year old daughter and we've never been closer. This is a child who was damaged by traditional schooling and is thriving at home. It's very nice to "meet" you.

Very best,
Laurie

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Love the discoveries and the promise of things to come.

Yes, you do NEED a Dandelion Workshop. Every girl needs a playhouse.

On the road for about 10 days, but let's keep in touch.

All joys,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Unknown said...

Thank you so much Laurie!
It's nice meeting you too... :)


Safe Travels Sharon!
" see" you when you get back :)

Deb~

upcoming post: Water and Woods March 27

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