In the garden : Observing

One morning recently I was particularly grumpy. Not sure why. So I stepped out into the garden with my camera and decided to look at things up close. Glass orbs of dew clung to the edges of fennel and grape leaves; nasturtium leaves cupped oceans. I watched a lady bug crawl around and held my breath. The radial pattern in the sturdy echinacea amazed me just as the sun shone through the delicate skin of the poppy petals. Underfoot the mulched ground was soft as I tip-toed about, looking, looking, looking. When I went back upstairs to the studio my outlook on the day had turned.

Recent garden notes:

' A pair of goldfinches visit the bachelor buttons in the mornings now. They're so tiny!

' A thumb-sized mouse darted out from the chocolate mint to the chamomile and back. zip zip.

' White butterflies flutter all across the garden, like white confetti caught in a breeze, weaving with untraceable threads.
' I realized this afternoon, while watching a honey bee perch in a pillow of purple petals, that I could sit here all day, observing the activity in the garden.

What is to be gained from this observing?
Much, I say.

come walk with me

well hello there and happy spring!
i am so excited for this little project, which i have been dreaming up for some time now. and i could not have asked for better company in helping to create it. i hope you will be inspired as much as i have by these lovely ladies and that you will come visit us often.

my garden is showing true signs of awakening. things are beginning to bloom, sprout, and blossom. it is hard to believe that when we moved here there was not one plant, shrub, or tree. just grass. i have managed to get rid of all of the lawn and use my space a little more efficiently. it is an ever, evolving project that brings me great joy. i have a small amount of growing space, which incorporates my front yard, the space alongside my house, the strip between the sidewalk and the street, and my back yard. because i do not have one big patch to grow a vegetable garden, i incorporate veggies, herbs, and fruit throughout the garden, intermixing with my perennial flowers, shrubs, and trees. I love the look of swiss chard growing among things like black eyed susans, and coneflower. or, lettuces, growing in a pot of pansies. rhubarb growing up through a ground cover of strawberries just makes my mouth water. and toscano kale is the most beautiful speciman plant in itself. i will be sure to show you all of these examples as the season progresses.

but for now, to give you more of a visual of my space, i thought it may be fun to introduce my garden through a little tour of sorts. garden walks are a favorite pastime of mine, not only in my own garden but in other’s as well. there is so much to learn by just simply observing, taking in the sights, smells, sounds, and of course the tastes of the garden. you can read about my early morning walks here.

each week i will be focusing on all sorts of things happening in my garden but why don’t we start off with a little springtime walk, shall we?

come walk with me from amy johnson on Vimeo.