I mentioned in an earlier post how much I enjoyed seeing the children’s gardens at Tatton Park. This is why! I’ll let the gardens speak for themselves, pretty much – there were too many lovely touches to point them all out.
Bottle tree installation at the Shangri La Botanical Gardens in Orange, Texas
Many bottle trees you’ll see – assuming you see bottle trees at all – are stiff. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but Southern folklore metal artist, Stephanie Dwyer, sets hers apart by making them sinuous and twisty, like real trees.
Bottle tree at Shack Up Inn, bent over as if by the wind
Her iconic bottle tree, part of a series inspired by Hurricane Katrina, channels lone trees all over the world, carved into art forms by the wind on some exposed ridge. It seems to grow out of the turf at the Sack Up Inn, and to nod with respect and resilience to its shadow. Continue reading
When Suzie Cranston’s world was rocked by the death of her son, Peck, a sign saying ‘Peace begins in the garden’ inspired her to create a garden that would celebrate his life.
Beautiful at any time of the year, my sweetheart and I often pause to admire it on walks through our quirky little neighbourhood, Fondren, in Jackson, Mississippi. More than twenty years after starting the garden, Suzie is eager for others to enjoy it as much as she does. She welcomes visitors with a broad smile, pointing out things they may have missed: flowers, garden art, a new birdhouse and, in particular, things that Peck would have loved, such as the tortoises which appear everywhere. Continue reading
Some years ago, I was waiting outside a historical building for my sweetheart to finish a landscaping consultation when a gentleman approached. He urged us to take a look at his woodland garden, just a few streets away, even if we only had a few minutes. Continue reading
I saw these two friends in a garden in New Orleans. They look like they’ve been sitting side by side at ease (or on guard) in a shady, green corner for quite some time. Continue reading
The clay faces of these dancers are serene, their feet frozen in an eternal dance. They live – or rather, their hair and clothes do – with some friends at the San Diego Botanic Garden. Continue reading
Gardeners work in harmony with the seasons. Just walking through countryside, as I did in the snow yesterday, helps me feel in harmony with myself and the world. Continue reading
A witty placement of a veiled stone head at Gresgarth Hall Gardens in NW England. She’s ‘clothed’ in box topiary that has been trimmed into a cube.
She’s positioned near the door so it’s easy to imagine her as a kind of guardian angel.
This week’s photo challenge Weight(less) asks us to look at the effect of gravity in an image of something heavy or light. I decided to combine the two. While you might not immediately think of a fairy or a dandelion seed head as heavy, I’m going to try to change your mind. Continue reading
