the lavender lives. under the wild tangle of balm and queen anne's lace, i unearthed purple buds, alive and blooming. but i couldn't seem to focus them..... finding it last night on my tramp through the garden made my heart leap. the rows of lavender i once worked so hard on, are still blooming for me. 
i gaze at my garden now. it's everything i ever imagined. tom teases me when he catches me staring as we walk to the car. the roses hug the wall of the kitchen like a thick and prickly rug.
and sitting where i am in the library, i can see a hollyhock peeking in the kitchen window as i write. there are sweetpeas with their sticky little fingers, clinging to the hip high lemon and lime balm. and growing up the stalks of queen anne's lace. 
and one cultivated david austin rose, left over from when i tried to have a 'real' garden, bursting through a clump of lemon balm. 
i love all things that represent freedom of thought and bringing new ideas forward. and somehow the freedom and beauty of this garden that i started more than a decade ago and has taken it's own path brings me great joy, as i wade through it and discover it's little gifts.and happy birthday to my sweet tom today. we will have a special little day together, i hope. a ride to the locks and a dinner under the full moon. it will be lovely.
a most beautiful and tranquil sanctuary..thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteoh, thank you. i love your farm and all your little snorty and pecking creatures. if you are ever in kingston, i hope you come to the studio!
DeleteWhat lovely photos! And such a beautiful garden. Your description places me there... smelling the lavender and roses, delighting in the powdered open faces of hollyhocks. Thank you for sharing this. I hope you and Tom found ways to celebrate his birthday under the moonlight.
ReplyDeletethank you carol.....it is a full sensory experience, my meadow garden.
Deletehasn't the moon been amazing the past couple of nights!!
I love your garden. It is like a picture of your soul, beautiful, wild and full of wonderful surprises. I hope you and Tom have the best day. Tell him happy birthday from us.
ReplyDeleteIn case you missed it, Jake's new blog is "I AM AUGUST" and Jesse's is "No Future". They wanted me to let you know. They both told me again yesterday that our trip to see you last summer was the best of their life.
ReplyDeletei looked for 'i am august' and couldn't find it. i'll look again. i love that they loved the trip. it means that you have to come back!!!
Deleteand thank you for the lovely things you said about my garden and my soul. i love that!!!
I love the free flow of your garden, it reminds me of the gardens I see on other people's blogs who live in France. I love the way the roses climb and cling to your house. I used to grow it years ago and loved the smell...still do!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your Tom! :)
thank you, kris. the roses just came with the house, but had been cut back for so many years that they have only flourished in the past few years that i let them do their thing.
Deleteisn't lavender wonderful. years ago i had it in rows.....like in france.
and thank you for the birthday wishes for tom. we're having a nice day!
Ha, I meant to say that I used to grow "lavender" years ago...somehow I deleted the word in my comment. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful post,
ReplyDeletethank you, laurie. i know you miss your garden. i wish i could share some of hte flowers and the scent of green with you.
DeleteA perfect cottage garden, so pretty!--makes me happy to look at it.
ReplyDeleteIm heading out in a moment to stand under the moon and think of Tom... And send him sweet vibrations! We will celebrate soon together... Xoxo
ReplyDeletei love your garden. so wild. happy birthday to Tom. I hope you have a great day together :)
ReplyDeletexx
Your garden is wildly delicious! I need to come and experience it fully, in the flesh...
ReplyDeleteTxo
I love your old-fashioned garden. You grow many of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteThe hollyhocks did so well this year -- every imaginable color is blooming. So wonderful! xoxo
ReplyDeletePS -- thank you for your donation to the MT American Red Cross, dear heart. You are one of the good ones! xoxo