Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
(a gardener’s poem)
Bending, I watch you dance
Waltz
Twist in the wind
Anchored by slender stems;
Barometers of spring blooming early,
Wearing hearts on your petals.
Things that harm us may seem sweet
But you’re not here to harm;
Any fool can see that. Continue reading “To Snowdrops Flowering Early”
I often visit cemeteries on my travels. My sweetheart is drawn to them, looking for curiosities such as green men, weeping angels and tough plants. At first I thought it was all a bit ghoulish, but several years on, I’ve come to appreciate their different characters. Some are neglected now; overgrown, but romantic for all that. Others are still neatly tended, formal, official.
One that I particularly love to visit is Greenwood Cemetery, a block or so away from the centre of Jackson, MS, where an extensive collection of roses grow ‘wild’. The site dates back to 1821. More than 100 unknown soldiers lie here, as well as Southern author, Eudora Welty, herself a rose lover. Continue reading “Roses at Greenwood Cemetery, Jackson, MS”
I’m happy that my own path so often takes me past flowers and into gardens. These well trodden paths were part of Bruntwood’s witty, eco-friendly installation at the Tatton Park Flower Show. This thoughtful, quirky space made great use of recycled material. I loved the kissing gate, bike park and the unstuffy board room. Continue reading “The Bruntwood Field Office at the Tatton Park Flower Show”
‘Way down south Louisiana’ it’s an old Cajun tradition to light bonfires along the Mississippi levee to help guide in Santa Claus (Papa Noel) on Christmas Eve. This particular bonfire was lit in advance for guests of The American Queen to enjoy. You can just make out the lights of the paddleboat in the background.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday, with convivial company and all the traditions you hold dear.
I’m a big fan of WordPress. It never stays still. Any half-experienced WordPress blogger knows that every so often they’re going to be briefly blindsided by one of those changes that suddenly happens. Of course it can be disconcerting – a bit like waking to find out that Santa Claus rearranged the furniture overnight as a kind of thank you for leaving him such tasty mince pies with his glass of milk, and now the picture of Aunt Mamie seems to have disappeared. Continue reading “Embracing Change: The New WordPress Reader”
Regular readers know I’m a sucker for double flowers, so won’t be surprised to hear that I’ve fallen in love with a relatively new type of flower – the roselily. Named for their similarity to multi-petalled roses, these pollen-free Oriental lilies are available in shades of pink and white. Continue reading “In Praise of Roselilies”
Why anticipation? Because while I’ve been close enough to take these pictures, I’ve never eaten there. And I’d like to.
The queue outside suggested that dining at Commander’s Palace would be memorable. Looking at their online menu, I quite fancy Cypress Smoked Louisiana Cochon de Lait:
Falling off the bone tender pork spiced with dark chilies and Creole seasoning over cayenne-pumpkin purée, fire roasted root vegetables & satsuma lacquer.
Menus sometimes trigger word itch. You know, that feeling you get when you’ve been bitten by a minute flying creature, except, in this case, it’s a word. Continue reading “Anticipation: Commander’s Palace, New Orleans”
Susan Rushton 