Vera Sytch's Posts
My garden, my refuge
The honking of Canada geese as they travel in skeins across the sky. Robins hopping on winter-deadened lawns. The chirping of chickadees in still-barren bushes. All these recent signs of imminent spring, signs that I've looked forward to during many an overcast winter day, have been uplifting. But no sign cheers my winter-soddened spirits quite as much as the first spring flower.
In our yard, this was the snowdrop that bloomed on March 4.
Although the first day of spring last week was accompanied by snow, I scanned my yard for more hints of the coming season.
Among the dead leaves and barren earth, a few heartening signs have appeared.
During the warm-weather months, you can often find me in my garden, my refuge from the day's pressures, my escape into a world of simple splendor. No matter how many times I walk through my garden, I am captivated by its beauty - not because I created the gardens, but because of the magnificence of God's creation. The exquisite charm of the individual plants astounds me. The early morning sunlight skimming across the garden flowers takes my breath away.
A walk through my garden is also a visit with friends because my garden is a tapestry of gifts - lamb's ear from Josie, liatris from Michele, irises from Joy, forget-me-nots from Joanna, sedum from Deniz... My sister gave me a spiderwort; my brother Alex - a hosta.
A saunter down my stone pathways can be a journey to another place: the wild columbine reminds me of a trip to Buttermilk Falls; the trillium - the hills of Ellison Park; the phlox - my cousin's cottage garden in Ukraine.
Over the years, I have photographed my gardens, in part to record the blossoms, and in part to be able to compare from year to year what blooms when. The date and time metadata for digital picture files have made that easy.
Last year I made an extra effort to document my gardens from the early spring blossoms through the first snow. So as I wait for the days to lengthen and my flowers to unfurl, I invite you to walk through my garden with me.
In our yard, this was the snowdrop that bloomed on March 4.
Snowdrops
Although the first day of spring last week was accompanied by snow, I scanned my yard for more hints of the coming season.
Last year's irises
Among the dead leaves and barren earth, a few heartening signs have appeared.
Crocuses in backyard on March 20, 2009
Crocuses on front hill on March 21, 2009
During the warm-weather months, you can often find me in my garden, my refuge from the day's pressures, my escape into a world of simple splendor. No matter how many times I walk through my garden, I am captivated by its beauty - not because I created the gardens, but because of the magnificence of God's creation. The exquisite charm of the individual plants astounds me. The early morning sunlight skimming across the garden flowers takes my breath away.
A walk through my garden is also a visit with friends because my garden is a tapestry of gifts - lamb's ear from Josie, liatris from Michele, irises from Joy, forget-me-nots from Joanna, sedum from Deniz... My sister gave me a spiderwort; my brother Alex - a hosta.
A saunter down my stone pathways can be a journey to another place: the wild columbine reminds me of a trip to Buttermilk Falls; the trillium - the hills of Ellison Park; the phlox - my cousin's cottage garden in Ukraine.
Crocuses on April 9, 2005
Over the years, I have photographed my gardens, in part to record the blossoms, and in part to be able to compare from year to year what blooms when. The date and time metadata for digital picture files have made that easy.
Crocuses on April 9, 2008
Last year I made an extra effort to document my gardens from the early spring blossoms through the first snow. So as I wait for the days to lengthen and my flowers to unfurl, I invite you to walk through my garden with me.
