Gardening as Therapy

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Mominthegarden

‘Queen of the night’ Tulip

Sometimes, things happen. Things that we don’t expect to happen, happen, and life changes… forever. We’re living through that at the moment, and it is really hard to navigate through all of the emotions we are feeling. Gardening is such an important part of my life, and it is in the garden where I feel healing. Please join me for a few minutes to enjoy some peace and tranquility in my garden.

‘Queen of the Night’ Tulips

The Queen of the Night tulips are strikingly beautiful, and for me their darkness also represents the sorrow that we feel. A friend and colleague of ours, and a genuinely super nice guy, Shay, achieved his life long ambition to reach the summit of Mt. Everest last week. Tragically, he fell on his descent. There are no other details, other than he is missing. It just doesn’t seem possible. Not Shay. But this is our new reality, including feeling numb with sadness. Gardening seems so trivial at times like these, but the garden is where I can go to find peace, and beauty, and renew my faith that somehow we, the immense community with whom Shay has so positively impacted, will all somehow get through this sad time. Come walk with me, as we use gardening as therapy…

Viburnum surrounded by Mystic van Eijk (the large tulips) and Don Quichotte (the small purple tulips)

The first of my tulips bloomed in March. They are circled around the Viburnum which blooms in May. The Beech hedges along the fence are still wearing their winter browns in this picture.

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ May 21, 2019 with the remnants of the tulips still showing. The Beech hedge is now wearing sporting green leaves.

Parrot tulips also bloom early in the season

Princess tulips April 27

The Princess tulips are just a couple of years old. Tulips can tend to “fade” with time (not look as nice after a few years). These are still young enough to look fresh.

Queen of the Night tulips + Princess Tulips

I thought the contrast of the dark Queen of the Night and the bright Princess tulips would be nice together. My only complaint is that the Princess tulips wither much quicker than the Queen of the Night tulips. But they are pretty.

Blushing Lady tulips

The Blushing Lady tulips are special to me, because they were one of the first flowers that I planted in our home in Manlius, New York. A number of years ago I planted some in our current garden right next to the playhouse, but they were dug up (unintentionally!) and destroyed in the process. So these were planted autumn 2018, well away from the playhouse. They are tall and the flowers are huge.

Blushing Lady Tulip

Merlot tulips + cherry tree

The Merlot tulips are also a new addition, planted in autumn 2018. It is quite a strong color, which I like.

Merlot tulips + Aubrietia

The Merlot tulips look amazing with the Aubrietia (this is a second grouping of the Merlot tulips in the same bed).

Merlot tulips

Here’s a look at the full bed. There are 3 groups of Merlot tulips, and 2 spare Ballerina tulips (they are orange) that were supposed to be moved out of this bed last year. The Aubrietia did really well this year. It is ever so slowly making its way to crawl over the wall (hopefully). The Boxwood (Box) has a lot of new growth, giving it a yellowish hue. I have a few Rose plants in here, too.

Merlot tulips open May 14

I do like capturing the inside of tulips.

Double Angelique tulips

Ballerina tulip fully open in May

Ballerina tulips are a fiery orange. I have (most of them) at the ditch wall in our garden and they can still be seen from across the yard.

Ballerina tulips

And that brings us to the end of our garden tour, using gardening as therapy. Thank you for walking with me on this journey of grief. I pray for Shay, and his family, and that all of us will find peace.

In peace,
Dana

Having it all… and a garden, too.

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Mominthegarden

Garden by the Playhouse in the springtime

I have had this title floating around in my head for quite a while now. Isn’t “having it all” what everyone strives for? I think most of us probably do have it all, in one shape or another – it just depends on how you measure “it all”.

misty morning (up too early to drive my daughter swimming before school…)

Over the years I have learned to not wish for anyone else’s life but my own. Oh I used to think about all the other people who I was convinced had it better than I did! It is so easy to think ‘doesn’t she have everything?’, or ‘doesn’t he have it so good?’. I think there is a story to tell in everyone’s life. Some stories are much harder to read than others, but everyone has a story.

a view from above (foxtrot tulips)

Recently I had the situation where I really thought I was having a bad day. But then I learned someone else’ story that day. Yeah, my day was a walk in the park compared to her day. Sometimes you just never know what is going on in people’s lives. If only we could all be a bit more patient, kind, understanding…

Ballerina tulips with our playhouse as a backdrop

My life is quite full just with our three kids and their activities! Then add in my coaching swimming, working, trying to keep the house looking like a hurricane hasn’t passed through (too recently), gardening, and balancing life with my husband and kids. I’m sure everyone’s life is equally as busy and full and rewarding!

weeds are just a part of the garden

Life is so full that time in the garden is precious these days. Precious and rare! Our garden is where we find peace and enjoyment, despite the amount of work it takes to care for it. For me, time in the garden is how I recharge. I’m in the process of learning how to just sit and relax and enjoy the garden after a full day. “Just sit” doesn’t come easy to me, so it is a learning process, but I’m getting there.

Parrot tulip

How about you? Can you “just sit” and relax in the moment? I hope that you too, have the “all” that you need in life.

Peace,

Dana

a not entirely stormy sky

A last look at the garden in April

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Mominthegarden

Bramley Cooking Apple tree

Today is the last day in April, and I just wanted to show you some of what has been growing in the garden this spring. I really think it is picture worthy. Of course, I might be a little biased. 🙂 The picture above is of our Bramley (cooking) apple tree. The blossoms are so pretty! My husband is responsible for pruning the apple trees every winter and I think he’s been doing a nice job. We moved our other (eating) apple tree this winter, so it doesn’t have as many blossoms just yet.

Bramley cooking apple tree blossom

New to this part of the garden are some supports for peas. My friend Susan gave me some useful Hazel sticks which my husband used to make tee-pee like structures. He then wrapped them in chicken wire. The peas climbed the wire quite happily last year, I just didn’t like how it looked in a straight line. I already like this look much better, even before the peas get going! The peas were planted this week.

Newly built supports for our peas using hazel and chicken wire.

Strawberry beds

Here’s a little peek at my strawberry beds. I’ve weeded them a couple of times this spring! They are coming along really well. Last year was an amazing year for strawberries. I have my fingers crossed that this summer will be as good! At the far end of the garden, closest to the red playhouse, we have raspberries growing. They look good this year. This is one fruit that has not thrived for us (yet). This year at least looks promising!

Mallow

On to flowers! This beautiful mallow plant was courtesy of a bird. Well, at least I didn’t plant it. The color is a lovely plum. We had to stake it as we live in a very, very windy area. Nevertheless, it is doing quite well!

Mallow

Ditch Wall Garden

This garden is affectionately called the “ditch wall garden” as I uncovered a ditch wall while creating this garden. I wrote about it here: https://mominthegarden.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/ivy-ivy-everywhere-finding-a-lovely-little-rock-ditch-wall-under-the-ivy/ . The current star of the garden is this primrose. It has really taken off since I planted it last year (given to me from a friend’s garden).

Primrose

Also adding to this little garden is this dark euphorbia. My friend Susan visited me yesterday and she loved the color combination of the euphorbia and my Freeman tulips. 🙂

Freeman tulips and a dark euphorbia

I know I’ve already posted about my tulips, but I had to add a few more pictures of them. They have done so well this spring!

White tulip

This white tulip is new to me this year. I like it, I just didn’t order enough of it!

White tulip close-up

I have a tulip correction, too. I mistakenly called my Foxtrot tulips “Innuendo” tulips. Yikes! The REAL Innuendo tulips are these:

Proper Innuendo Tulips

While the Foxtrot tulips are these:

Foxtrot tulips

How did I mix them up???

My favorites: Ballerina tulips

But without a doubt, my favorite tulips this year are my Ballerina tulips. I have loved every minute of them! The last flower picture is of some flowers that were in a flower pot from last year. I did nothing with the container over the winter. It sat at my back door, completely neglected. So it is funny to be rewarded with these lovely Calendula flowers after so much neglect!

Calendula flowers in a flowerpot

April was quite good to us, don’t you think? I hope your spring is as lovely for you!
Dana

Mom in the Garden

Enjoying life. In Ireland. With my family.

Tag Archives: Ballerina tulips

Gardening as Therapy

Having it all… and a garden, too.

A last look at the garden in April