Tag Archives: garden

The Glory Of Gardening

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“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” Alfred Austin, Victorian Poet

The flower beds in my yard are still kind of a mess but I continue working on them as time allows. It’s a true work in progress and there’s no end in sight.

Since I was forced to move and split many perennials just before they bloomed, some aren’t blooming while others just look a little sad. Luckily, I can imagine what they will look like next year and that’s keeping me going. The prospect of fuller, richer flower beds in the coming years is enough to keep me going back for more.

It has been great therapy and good exercise. Someday, it will pay off and I will be glad that I dedicated the time and sweat equity. Meanwhile, I enjoy the fruits of other people’s gardening labors. This picture is from Kingwood Garden Center in Mansfield. Go visit them and appreciate the gorgeous gardens if you get a chance.

Working In The Rain

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Between heat and rain for the last couple of weeks, it has been hard to maintain a steady pace with my endless efforts to revitalize flower beds. Fortunately, it was less humid and hot after work last night so I spent some time digging out the curse we call floribunda rose and a few of those tiger lilies people seem to love so much.

I relished the breeze that picked up before a gentle rain moved in. There was no lightning in the area and the cool rain felt amazing on my bare arms so I just worked through it until I was satisfied it was time to pack it in for the night.

Then this caught my eye – a visitor I don’t recall ever seeing before.

A Google image search quickly informed me that it’s a Dobsonfly. They are commonly found near rocky streams but there are none of those close to me and I’m not clear on why it has taken up residence in the hanging basket of flowers at my back door.

The pincers look intimidating- actually the entire thing looks intimidating but the internet claims that it is harmless to humans.

One of the most fascinating things about a backyard garden is that the appearance is constantly changing and there is always something new to see or meet!

Kingwood Center Garden

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This weekend took me to a new favorite place. Kingwood Garden Center is a 47 acre estate in Mansfield, Ohio. It’s the former home and historic estate of Charles Kelley King. A native of Maine, King was hired as the first electrical engineer at Ohio Brass in 1893. He rose within the company, eventually becoming president and chairman of the board. King had the house and grounds built in 1926 and lived here until his death in 1952.

He had a library, an office and a reading room! They were equally fabulous.

Married and divorced twice with no children, King understood the value of his home and commissioned a study to determine the best future use for his estate after his death. The result was the creation of a foundation that opened the gardens to the public in 1953.

Today you can explore the home, gardens and greenhouse for just $8 admission.

This place is fabulous and surpasses Franklin Park Conservatory as my favorite place to stroll through a garden.

They currently have a Lego exhibit that integrates Lego sculptures into the estate. I really liked this Monarch Butterfly which is comprised of 39,708 bricks. It took 425 hours to build!

There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, benches to rest on and lovely flowers to enjoy.

Plus, they have a greenhouse, a cafe and gift shop. You are also welcome to bring in your own picnic food if you wish. Want to visit? Get all the information from their website!

People Are Like Hydrangeas

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This hydrangea was a gift from a friend’s yard many years ago. I had it for well over a decade before it bloomed and had all but given up on ever seeing it produce a flower.

The first year it bloomed it was blue and produced just a handful of flowers. The next year, I noticed some lavender beginning to develop. This year, it’s larger and loaded with varying shades of blues, lavenders and pinks.

It’s beautiful.

I like to think that humans are a little like this late blooming hydrangea. We may take a while to get comfortable enough to show our personality. Then, with each passing year, we add to our knowledge, skills and interests, causing our personality to blossom in new and colorful ways that are often quite unexpected.

The best people are the ones who are willing to learn, to try new things and to adapt. They’re the ones with a little color to their personalities and some happy surprises.