Sunday, May 19, 2013

"Every end is a beginning"

When you look at the year with a gardener's eye, where do you see the beginning?  
Maybe winter, when you plan and dream for the season ahead?  
Or are you like me, and view the beginning as the time those first green shoots and buds appear?  

The beginning of this gardener's year was late.  A look back at photos has confirmed my 
suspicion that the garden blooms have been appearing a week or more later than they did in 2012.
It's been such a cool Spring that many of the seeds I started didn't germinate.

The Easter lilies were blooming on May 20, 2012.


Today they're just beginning to bud.

The hydrangeas and daylilies that are just now budding were also blooming at this time last year.
Some of last year's blooms haven't returned at all.  
The columbine, gaillardia, and coreopsis are gone, though I'm not sure why.  
The impatiens that normally self-seed were stricken last August by downy mildew.  

But this is the way of the garden, isn't it?  Always changing.  Plants die while seeds sprout.  
The cycle of life continues.  While I mourn the loss of the columbine (that I started from seed), 


I rejoice at the first bloom on the daisies (that I also started from seed).


The garden is full of color despite the missing columbine.
The dianthus has an abundance of blooms and nothing can stop evening primrose.



The bearded irises from my mother-in-law's garden have multiplied many times over 
and put on a great show that has just now faded.


The Virginia spiderwort that I dug from my daughter's backyard continues to spread and 
light up the garden with it's blue blooms.


The pale pink blooms of the old-fashioned climbing rose, grown from a cutting rooted by my daughter-in-law, are as beautiful as ever.  (Read the story behind this rose here.)


These three plants - the irises, spiderwort, and climbing rose - give me special joy, with their faithfulness and connection to family.

Earlier in May, the scent of the Mock Orange greeted me at the steps


and the rhododendron blooms greeted me as I pulled into the driveway.


I look forward to the daylily, hydrangea, and Easter lily blooms,  followed by lantana, zinnia, and marigolds - the bright colors of summer.  I am thankful for the changing of the seasons and the gifts of each. And I am thankful, especially, for the reminder that "every end is a beginning."

"Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning, and under every deep a lower deep opens."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

7 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

Oh, such beauties, Ginny! I'm sorry you lost the columbine.

There are new Garden starts every day. Just last night I was reviewing bulbs for forcing for Christmas and making notes for things to do right away that I may never get around to.

I just looked at your sidebar and saw the Leo Aikman quote. Do you remember Leo Aikman? He was one of Mama's favorites in the Atlanta Constitution, right up there with Celestine Sibley and Dr. Charles Allen.

scottweberpdx said...

So sad about your Columbine...but that Dianthus/Oenothera combo is to die for!

Beth at PlantPostings said...

I like the question you pose: When do you mark the beginning in the garden? I'm like you. When those first shoots emerge from the soil, my heart sings! Your garden is a couple of weeks ahead of mine--my Mock Orange and Lilacs (two favorites) aren't blooming yet).

HolleyGarden said...

I, too, think of the beginning of the garden when things first start appearing. I know that they are working underneath the earth, but since I can't see that, I don't count it! Your blooms are just gorgeous. And I enjoyed seeing the glimpses of your garden in some of the backgrounds, too. The connection to family is important, I think. The stories make each bloom even more special.

Donna said...

Ginny I know how you feel as I did not see so many blooms last year and this year most have returned but not my beloved bleeding hearts...not sure why as I planted about 10-15 more and none came up...I think I see the beginning of my garden in spring...

Jo Raines said...

Beautiful blooms in your garden and such a restful spot. My daisies have not begun to bloom yet but the plants sure are large and healthy looking.

Country Mouse said...

Lovely -- Looks like you garden where it gets rain in summer - like where I grew up - I do miss that summer green here in California - though we have much to make up for it as well.