Comments on: Garden whisperer http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/ a garden journal about public garden maintenance, seasonal tasks, garden events, stories about gardening, volunteers, flowers, bugs and wildlife Fri, 17 May 2013 01:29:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lynn http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/comment-page-1/#comment-7324 Lynn Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:56:19 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3218#comment-7324 Lucky you & Gail! What an interesting thought you've put out there. My experiences in the wild are most often whisperish, and I feel a communion often (which is why I could never be an all-out city girl), but in my short garden career, I feel like I'm having a conversation in 1st-year Spanish with Pablo Neruda. <em>Too funny, Lynn! I say if you've got that poet in your garden, just listen - and let him eat some tomatoes. -kris</em> Lucky you & Gail! What an interesting thought you’ve put out there. My experiences in the wild are most often whisperish, and I feel a communion often (which is why I could never be an all-out city girl), but in my short garden career, I feel like I’m having a conversation in 1st-year Spanish with Pablo Neruda.

Too funny, Lynn! I say if you’ve got that poet in your garden, just listen – and let him eat some tomatoes. -kris

]]> By: Kathy http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/comment-page-1/#comment-7316 Kathy Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:39:38 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3218#comment-7316 A plot of annual flowers has a childlike charm, but will never have the sacred character of a garden with ancient trees, with carpets of naturalized plants, with the annual appearances of ephemeral bulbs, which present themselves as a once a year gift. As gardeners, we are always trying to improve on nature's beauty, but our best efforts usually happen when we act as careful editors. How lucky we are when we inherit a garden already begun, one with established trees and stone walls, for this garden has the benefit that only age can offer. I've always thought of a garden and a landscape as two different types of space. I think of a garden as a somewhat protected place ( it's derived from a French or Latin word meaning: to enclose or protect). A landscape is a much larger open space, with views of what lies beyond. Each space will have a different voice whispering to you. Of course a landscape can harbor hidden gardens... and that is always most interesting. <em>Well said, Kathy - all so true. And it (garden v. landscape) is a really important distinction to make - and one we (sub)urban gardeners should remember. (And maybe cut ourselves a break!) -kris</em> A plot of annual flowers has a childlike charm, but will never have the sacred character of a garden with ancient trees, with carpets of naturalized plants, with the annual appearances of ephemeral bulbs, which present themselves as a once a year gift.

As gardeners, we are always trying to improve on nature’s beauty, but our best efforts usually happen when we act as careful editors. How lucky we are when we inherit a garden already begun, one with established trees and stone walls, for this garden has the benefit that only age can offer.

I’ve always thought of a garden and a landscape as two different types of space. I think of a garden as a somewhat protected place ( it’s derived from a French or Latin word meaning: to enclose or protect). A landscape is a much larger open space, with views of what lies beyond. Each space will have a different voice whispering to you. Of course a landscape can harbor hidden gardens… and that is always most interesting.

Well said, Kathy – all so true. And it (garden v. landscape) is a really important distinction to make – and one we (sub)urban gardeners should remember. (And maybe cut ourselves a break!) -kris

]]> By: Ginny http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/comment-page-1/#comment-7315 Ginny Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:50:00 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3218#comment-7315 Really relate to the garden whispering. Love the idea. Especially now when all is so quiet out there. Let the garden tell you what it wants to be? Have to be wary or around here it will turn into Sleeping Beauty's forest. The boxwood and the lindens are definitely whispering " thank you" for loving them. I remember the day I first discovered this place ours. I was hooked immediately by a voice that said "take care of me". Overgrown, shabby and leaf-strewn though it was, my heart beat faster. Here we are over thirty years later and I still hear that voice. <em>Ginny, It seems like you and your garden were made for each other - soul mates who finish each other's sentences. -kris</em> Really relate to the garden whispering. Love the idea. Especially now when all is so quiet out there. Let the garden tell you what it wants to be? Have to be wary or around here it will turn into Sleeping Beauty’s forest.

The boxwood and the lindens are definitely whispering ” thank you” for loving them. I remember the day I first discovered this place ours. I was hooked immediately by a voice that said “take care of me”. Overgrown, shabby and leaf-strewn though it was, my heart beat faster. Here we are over thirty years later and I still hear that voice.

Ginny, It seems like you and your garden were made for each other – soul mates who finish each other’s sentences. -kris

]]> By: Chookie http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/comment-page-1/#comment-7314 Chookie Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:35:09 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3218#comment-7314 What an interesting thought... No, my garden doesn't whisper to me, but then, I've got a lot of other things happening at the moment, and it's on the back burner. <em>Chookie, I think there are different times when our gardens call to us and we to them - and I think it's hardly ever in the heat of summer!</em> What an interesting thought… No, my garden doesn’t whisper to me, but then, I’ve got a lot of other things happening at the moment, and it’s on the back burner.

Chookie, I think there are different times when our gardens call to us and we to them – and I think it’s hardly ever in the heat of summer!

]]> By: Mr. McGregor's Daughter http://blog.blithewold.org/out-and-about/garden-whisperer/comment-page-1/#comment-7312 Mr. McGregor's Daughter Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:46:01 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3218#comment-7312 OMG, I would have loved to go to that lecture. I've always had a strong affinity for wild woodland places, and I've tried to imbue my shade garden with some of that spirit. As for the sunnier parts of the garden, I'm still working on figuring out what their spirit is. <em>MMD, You might love his book... It's on my list to buy now - I wish I hadn't run for the early train instead that night! -kris</em> OMG, I would have loved to go to that lecture. I’ve always had a strong affinity for wild woodland places, and I’ve tried to imbue my shade garden with some of that spirit. As for the sunnier parts of the garden, I’m still working on figuring out what their spirit is.

MMD, You might love his book… It’s on my list to buy now – I wish I hadn’t run for the early train instead that night! -kris

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