The New-to-Me Gardens
Spring arrives
The frogs have been serenading nightsongs, the robins singing daysongs and finally this morning the sun announced spring’s arrival. Daffodils and tulips shouting out enthusiastically. The climbing hydrangea sent out leaves in greeting. Honeysuckle waking, ancient companions to arbutus and Douglas fir in our mossy forest scattered with blue-eyed Mary Collinsia grandiflora. My heart sang to witness the first swallow’s arrival in early morning. Hummingbirds have been buzzing at the windows making me think the previous owners must have provided them with nectar.
In working meditation I found my way through the new-to-me garden beds, through plants and weeds—just plants growing wrong places. Old garden tags: zucchini, squash, tomatoes, pattypans, excavated. Parsley wildly scattered alongside travelling St John’s Wort, feverfew, sorrel, curly dock. The one we called devil weed on the farm, hairy bittercress runs amuck through the gardens and pathways, soon to explode flinging seeds in a 16 foot diameter.
The newly assembled greenhouse—a house of hope, sits on a cedar deck overlooking the garden beds.
Strawberry plants and raspberry canes planted with today’s sun, in the old berry cage joined by broadbeans. I’ve always planted in a wild kind of way, plant beings with unusual neighbours growing in out of way places.
Plants in waiting. Ranunculus and anemones in trays yearning to root in their new home. Exotic tomato starts under lights in the sunroom. Dahlias some potted, some in boxes and more arriving by post. Wood betony, figwort, coreopsis, dusty miller, wallflowers, sweet peas and more, waiting. Fragrant roses enroute for the front rose garden, to join newly planted hydrangeas, camelia, magnolia, lilies still sleeping and peony just glimpsing out.
As I worked in the new garden the memory of Alchemy Farm whispered to me. Ten years of relationship, of rhythms tied to weather, seasons, planting, harvesting — body moving to nature's dance, like breathing. Working with the new land became a balm today, in the sunshine with bird serenades, bees stopping to say hello, my raven friend swooping low. Today I finally know my heart will survive this transplanting.
A message from the Alchemy Flower Oracle
Daffodil: New Beginnings
It is time to rejoice for there is a new spring waiting. A time of joy, of happiness, and new dreams blossoming.
The Alchemy Flower Oracle my own deck with messages from 48 flowers from the gardens at Alchemy Farm, find it here.