The flower that you hold in your hands was born today and already it is as old as you are. ~Antonio Porchia
Each day as I walk through my garden, I see the culmination of work that I did last year, or ten years ago. I also see what is to come, tomorrow, next week, next month. Gardeners are time travelers of a sort. This spring, I am reaping the rewards of having the paths redone last summer. To tread on firm gravel instead of sinking up to my ankles in muck as I moved through the garden in April brought to mind the last year’s path project and my hopes for the garden this season. Every tulip and daffodil that bloomed this spring arose from the bending and digging last October when I planted a thousand bulbs – a vision of floral extravaganza played through in my mind as the autumn leaves fell golden to the ground. Now as I trim the fading blooms from each spring flower, I notice the burgeoning growth of roses and daylilies to come, and anticipate the floral fireworks of June and July in my imagination.
I stand in a river of time as the garden streams around me, a constant eddy and flow of events in the moment, yet each dependent on the imagination of the past and the hope of the future. This week, unseasonable heat brought the spring bulb season to a sudden close but also brought on the purple lollipops of Allium aflutanense and the brilliantly colored cloaks of Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Nature never stands still and the ever changing garden carries the gardener with it. Here are a few scenes from the passing spring and the approaching summer; click on any photo to enter the slide viewer. Enjoy! (All photos ©2015 Lynn Emberg Purse, All Rights Reserved).
There is no “End” to be written, neither can you, like an architect, engrave in stone the day the garden was finished. A painter can frame his picture, a composer can notate his coda, but a garden is always on the move. ~Mirabel Osler
Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future. ~Steve Miller (Fly Like An Eagle)
composerinthegarden 
Beautiful!
Thank you, Margie.
How apt to see these images today (monday) – the first day of the famous Chelsea Flower Show over here in London
I’m jealous, LenScaper – I’ve always wanted to visit Chelsea, the ultimate flower show!
Your garden is beautiful, as are your photographs. Work well worth the effort.
Thanks, Ogee! I hope your gardens are coming along well.
Beautiful now…not so sure about a month from now without water. 😦
That is an amazing transformation in such a short period of time (in the slideshow). The new paths are wonderful, and you give me something to aspire to with my own slowly growing garden.
Thanks, Robin. The slide show time lapse ran from early April to mid-May. It is even more lush now that we’ve had a few more hot days with lots of rainfall. I’m even more grateful for the paths on days like this.
Like a journey…your time-lapse photos of your garden…journey of a life. Changing…constantly changing…constantly moving forward…like our lives. Thank you for that gentle reminder. Patience. Thank you for that reminder, as well.
Thank you, Jots! It seems as if the garden is always a metaphor for life, journey and all. But such a lovely journey 🙂
The paths are a triumph.
Thank you, Tootlepedal – I hope you are having a lovely spring.
It is much delayed by unusually cool weather.
Ah, we had very cold weather this spring, followed by a week of very hot weather, now it is cooling off again. The garden carries on in spite of the extremes, but the hot weather does shorten the bloom life of the spring flowers.
Aww, finally you have returned. I have missed the beauty and peaceful sensibility you give to the world. I lingered over each picture (as I always do) and tried to imagine myself strolling through your gorgeous garden as I am painfully aware that “time keeps on slipping.” I didn’t plant a garden this year because we’re moving, and I am in mourning. I am very aware that I’m entering the final season of my journey in life (be it a few years or 30 more years). Seeing the beauty of your garden took a little bit of the pain away. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Eleanor, thank you for your kind words – the thought that you enjoy my posts is both rewarding and humbling. I know what it is to leave a garden behind and I sympathize with your very real experience of mourning. The year we moved here I was excited about the possibilities of the new space, but being without a real garden for a few years was unbelievably painful. It has taken 14 years to have a spring garden with complex plant and color combinations, so I feel like I have finally recovered the ideas that I used to explore in my previous garden. Plus that “slowing with age” process – ugh! It takes twice as long to do anything!
I wish you all the best in your new adventure, final season or not (I’m guessing “or not”) – change is inevitable, so embracing it always makes the transition easier. Can’t wait to catch up on your posts – shifting from 10-16 hour work days to zero hour work days except in the garden is a gift and I look forward to returning to my favorite digital home 🙂
How beautiful, Lynn! It seems you’ve created a masterpiece for every season: what a wonderful refuge and beautiful sanctuary. The path is a marvel, just the perfect touch for beckoning travelers along and through the glory you’ve coaxed forth!
Thank you, Kitty. This is the first year that I’ve planted for a spring show; the gravel paths allowed for better drainage for the bulbs, so it was an exciting chance to try out color combinations so early in the season. A delayed pleasure but worth it. And your visits here always give me a shot of inspiration and hope 🙂
oh my but that is grand
Lance, how wonderful to hear from you! It has been a while but I’m delighted to see that you are back. I’ve had my own absence this winter – heavy teaching load – but it is wonderful to be back in the WP community and renew friendships. Glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
The musical artist displays her gardening charm. Very well done … gotta love the images with the midst and the show of the seasons. Hope all is well with you.
Thanks, Frank; looking forward to catching up with everyone here and I glimpsed an interesting post from you that I look forward to reading. All is well here, school is over and I’m back in the garden 🙂
Thus time for your R&R!
Absolutely, Frank – garden R&R – the perfect Rx 🙂
The redo of the paths seem to make the garden pop! Enjoyed those overviews.
Hope you are doing well.
Just getting old here. 65 now and feel it! Trying to redo some gardens – less perennials, more conifers and perminant features.
Still see/hear from MCF, Carolyn Schaffner, Kathy Guest. They are all doing well.
Happy Gardening!
Bobbie
Bobbie, so nice to hear your voice here! Yes, the restoration of the paths, part of the original design, made a huge difference in the garden this spring. Not only because they improved drainage and moderated temperatures, they have made spring cleanup a breeze and they look good too – best thing I’ve ever done in the garden!
I’m feeling that age creep as well; yoga and Pilates help a lot but I can’t work all day without lots of breaks! Still, I’m growing flats of annuals from seed this year and have no intention of simplifying yet. But I am planting more native trees and shrubs and have a lot less grass 🙂 Happy gardening to you too!
Lynn, your garden is a floral symphony!
Kerry, that is one of the nicest compliments I’ve ever had – thanks!