VLADIMIR NABOKOV & DESKS IN THE GARDEN

Colum McCann, in the NY Times yesterday, wrote "the purpose of storytelling is", "to portray ordinary objects as they will be reflected in the kindly mirrors of future times; to find in the objects around us the fragrant tenderness that only posterity will discern and appreciate in far-off times when every trifle of our plain everyday life will become exquisite and festive in its own right: the times when a man who might put on the most ordinary jacket of today will be dressed up for an elegant masquerade." Vladimir Nabokov

Landscapes have always been stories to me.

In a garden there is no waiting for the "exquisite and festive". And that "elegant masquerade"? It's there for the taking in a garden.

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Those who have found it know the key is in the 'taking' and that is the exact point where grace enters. Oh, that grace. It's a ball of energy, creativity, joy, wit, wealth, beauty, acceptance, forgiveness.

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More desks, above, in Susanne Hudson's garden. Aren't her desks exquisite, festive, elegant masquerades? She takes the fragrant tenderness of objects around her and spins gossamer magic.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

TUB: A PREDILECTION

Found online this pic has seared itself into my brain. Seared with further design. In my mind's eye there are 5 claw foot tubs under the tree. A small table, with dinner-wine, at each tub. I'm in one of the tubs & girlfriends are in the rest.

We are talking-sharing-savoring: the tree, the art, night, fireflies, fragrance, sound of bats, each other, floating, comfort, nurturing, laughter, ideas, joys, lessening of sorrows, epiphanies, being silly, gathering strength, being tender, knowing we will leave the evening enriched-changed-more completely ourselves.

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Top pic anonymous at the moment. Anyone know? Send it to me.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRES LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Landscape magazines haven't inspired me for design in at least a decade.
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Interior magazines are full of ideas if you transpose furnishings & art for plants & hardscape.

Copy your interior style outside.

The table, below, is a landscape template. A pathway leads through its center. Shrubs and groundcovers are each side of the path. The insect is an iron arbor coated in evergreen vine leading to another garden room. The candlesticks are an understory tree, perhaps redbud. The ferns in terra cotta pots are southern indica azaleas. The plate is a drift of Lenten rose. Bric-brac- to the left of center- are wild ginger. The green walls are obviously a hedge of dwarf cherry laurel. The pair of chairs are lovely urns on plinths. Below, another tiny space to copy outside. Perhaps the side of a brick house between a front corner and fireplace. The lamp is witchhazel 'Arnolds Promise', the vase a cryptomeria 'Yoshino'. The 3 misc. items a variegated daphne, dwarf sarcoccoca, and heuchera 'pewter veil'. Placement of the plants matches the tabletop.

This would be fun, below. The painting would be a blue conifer, pair of vases, to the left, Snow azalea. The pair of matching silver candlesticks are fastigiate plum yew, the roses a dwarf burgundy loropetalum, the finial looking thing a daphne and the decanter a virginia sweetspire.

Everything blooms white but the plant where the roses are. All evergreen plants except the decanter (virginia sweetspire). The chair transposes into a bench outside. Paint it a showy color from artwork within the house.

Planting zones and scale don't matter the theory is the same for all scales and zones.

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Design using furnishings transposed into plants works especially well with mature landscapes needing a tweak.

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The overall landscape design must have strong simple structure.

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Photos via style court, Courtney Barnes. Top from Thomas Jayne Studio, middle from Josyln at Desgin*Sponge, bottom from Martin Morrell.
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Garden & Be Well XO T

GARDEN INTUITIVE at an OLD ENGLISH COUNTRY CHURCH

An old English country church. Do you see the beautiful garden? I see a prophet without honor. The worker in the landscape. A garden intuitive. Are you a garden intuitive? Do you see the consistent amount of good garden work done at this church?

Vines kept off the church. Meadow kept off church & headstones. Trees kept away. No stray piles of debris from mourner's flowers, wheelbarrow neatly stowed. No garden tools carelessly left about. I know this is the work of one man. How? I've been a garden intuitive since childhood.

Often I've seen the passing of a garden prophet. Within weeks the loss is understood. The larger group suddenly realizing, 'Charles' really did maintain the landscape. It wasn't natural, it was 'Charles'. Maybe the group will hire a lawn service, or worse, do the work themselves as a committee.

Neither choice achieving what 'Charles' did with a seeming lack of effort. A lych-gate, below. Dead bodies were placed here for 2-3 days before burial. In case they began to breath.

Seeing the church, below, I can still smell the meadow & feel the excitement & anticipation of exploration. Reading headstones, discovering which plants are thriving, finding the gardener's work area. Intuitively feeling its history yet enjoying the power of intention actively present.

Maybe find a fabulous rock rescue. A breeze, birds and my own footfall for a soundtrac. The joy of solitude.

Garden & Be Well, XO T