My last blog post was a gentle kick from behind. It has reminded me to keep writing, however slowly and however it feels, and gently my mind drifts back to childhood and to earlier this summer, when there was magic in the air.
Gardens are magical places, whether you are a keen gardener or just enjoy their beauty, being in them can be so life enhancing.
As the years move on, I enjoy visiting them more and more. I remember as a child loving our back garden, and particularly the far end where the fruit trees were, the vegetable patch and also the dahlias, my father used to grow.
The best bit was the swing with the fruit trees behind, for some reason we generally sat on the swing facing the house, but as the memory comes flooding back, I realise I preferred the view towards the apple trees ☺
There was definitely something magical about that bit of the garden, particularly right underneath the trees…
And right beneath the trees in a friend’s garden, on a long awaited visit to Ireland earlier this summer, I found that magic again. The native trees were so densely packed together, it was sheer delight walking along a wooded pathway, and then to come out into a newly formed meadow, that felt as though it had been there forever.
There were newly planted trees scattered through the meadow, and lots of butterflies enjoying the wild flowers. For the first time since entering the garden, we could see further afield, up onto the limestone escarpment and the wide blue sky.
Delighted that even the moon was gracing us with her company that day.
Walking back down the meadow took you into another woodland walk, along a dry stream-way of limestone. There were so many plants and trees to stop and enjoy, moving from species to species – Willows, Hawthorns, Ferns, Hostas, Hydrangea’s, to name but a few.
I had no idea there were so many types of hawthorn ☺
Around every corner there was a new delight, and there were benches along the way, to sit and be for a moment, or longer if the sun was out. My favourite bench was one made of limestone down by the river, among the willows.
Or was it the wooden bench in the alpine garden by the green man wall plaque?
Sitting here looking out over the Edge, and watching the sea ripple into shore, I try to rekindle the feelings I felt in that magical garden. I came away all fired up with renewed enthusiasm for my garden and what I could plant in it.
In fact, within a day or two of arriving home, we were out buying plants and a first for me, planting them out into the garden the very same day!
Our garden is very different in so many ways, but there are moments when I stop and take in the ‘borrowed’ landscape we are so lucky to share and feel the magic here too.
I have a long way to go to attain even a small fraction of the magnificence of my friend’s garden, but I will cherish the memories and remind myself of the inspiration and delight I felt while we were there.
Where do you go for inspiration and pure joy?
Over the years I have admired many of my friend’s gardens, and now I am able to cherish my own, with little bits of inspiration thrown in along the way.
There are hints of Autumn in the air, and the orangey red berries are well established on the rowan trees at the bottom of the garden.
The blueberries were left for the birds this summer, as there were so few, and the sea holly I love so, has had its day.
My mind drifts back to Ireland and the summer suddenly seems months ago, and yet I hope we have a few more days of warm and sunny weather before I reach for the thermals once again.
May your days be full of beautiful flowers and trees, whether it be in your garden, someone else’s, up a mountain, down by the sea or even a city park.
Time to do some more gardening…
With love and gratitude on this, another calm day ☺