Hello,
Blue skies and warm temps are a welcome balm and the garden is growing before my very eyes. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m savoring the deliciously analog nature of having my hands in the dirt. Although now i need to amend that having my HAND in the dirt. A couple of days ago on a walk with a friend I tripped and fell and broke my elbow. Honestly, I thought my ego took the worst of it, it’s so embarrassing to fall in public — although it was a chance to receive care and compassion from strangers who jumped in to help. However, a day later it became clear that something else was going on. Thank goodness it’s my left, non-dominant arm. I can still pick plants and paint. Typing is another story — oh, and i’m looking for someone to help me plant out my zinnia seedlings.
Clearly life is telling me to go slow — I will heed the suggestion. Happy Mother’s Day to anyone who tends to others and the garden. I’m so glad you’re here.
xo Lorene
My Colors
April 30, 2024
It’s true, pansies are humble and shy from a distance, but every time I look at the petals closely my jaw drops at the beautiful nuance and shading. More please!
May 1, 2024
“More than a flirtation, better than a superstition, almost a religion, the lily of the valley is celebrated on the first of May.” — Colette
I think I may be the only gardener who longs to be able to complain about a patch of “weedy” lily of the valley running roughshod through the shade border. Instead, every year I watch for a single sprig or two to pluck in honor of May Day. I recently added another 20 roots to the garden: Hope Springs!
May 2, 2024
It’s a beautiful morning and I’m soon off to hold a color workshop at Lakewold Gardens later today. The garden should be beautiful and I love gathering with people who are willing to look closely at colorful details in the natural world.
While we’re working with watercolor, my color palette workshops are more of an exercise in looking, noticing, and paying attention to how color effects us. It’s all in my book, Color In and Out of the Garden, which has been out in the world for two years now—they grow up so quickly, don’t they.
Wish you could all be there, but I’d love to come to your community to talk color and gardens and how paying attention broadens our world and deepens compassion. Sound interesting? Let’s connect.
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May 3, 2024
Oops, I did a thing…
I never, never, ever pick flowers that aren’t mine without permission. Unless a lilac happens to be leaning over an old fence into a dark alley and it is nearly midnight under an almost full moon … I blame the incantation of silvery moonlight and intoxicating fragrance. I’m not sorry.
May 4, 2024
Another Pacific Coast Iris from the front garden. I don’t know the proper name, I just lovingly refer to this one as ‘Beige’.
When I was little, a friend’s mom told me “xxx is beautiful, but you’re vivacious”. Who says that to a tween?!? I digress, ‘Beige’ is neither beautiful nor vivacious but is possibly the ugly duckling with her companion to ‘Juno’ (above right) waiting to bloom into a swan.
May 5, 2024
Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ is awesome — a Fiesta in the garden just in time for Cinco de Mayo.
May 6, 2024
I have a couple of forms of double columbines — this one called ‘Ruby Port’ is in the back garden — ‘Black Barlow’ keeps to the front garden. I think they sound like a couple of botanical pirates. ARRGH…
May 7, 2024
Blues in the garden. Fun fact: I was one my way to see this glorious garden of forget-me-nots and a bluebell wood when I fell and broke my elbow, which is seriously going to impact my gardening days for the foreseeable future. It was worth it.
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