Spring Forward!

Did you remember to change your clocks? I know you, like my teenage daughters, might meet this grand day with some moans and groans as you realize you just lost an hour of sleep. But for me, today has all the excitement of Christmas morning, the clocks moving ahead that wonderful hour means that I have the gift a "normal" life again.

For reasons unknown, my body decided four years ago that it simply didn't care what time it was anymore. The time would change, but I would not. I have always been an early riser, and grateful for it... up before the sun, usually between 4 and 5 a.m. With a house full of kids, a very busy husband, two cats, a dog and a japanese fighting fish named Princess, two hours alone every morning with my coffee and my thoughts is a much cherished ritual. In the fall when we turn the clocks back an hour, my body wakes itself up at 3 a.m -  not nearly so desirable and it can be hard to keep busy that early in the morning when there is nothing but snow and darkness about.

But today I am just giddy with anticipation and I hope wherever you are that you can share in my happiness! In addition to the time change, it seems Mother Nature has finally decided to smile upon us and deliver a balmy day of 9 C and with a warming trend the rest of the week. As far I am concerned, today is MY first day of spring, and I am already wandering around in my blundstones waiting for the sun to come up so I can get outside and do something.

And there is so, so much to do!

My list is rather long - I will be out there brandishing the pruners, tackling the shrubs, cutting back the grasses, and picking up all the stuff that was left behind in the fall and tossed around in the wind storm two weeks ago. No doubt I will calling out to my son to pick up dog poop he missed over the winter and for my husband to please help me clean and sharpen the tools. The patio chairs will receive their cushions, the bbq will be cleaned, and perhaps the waterfall will be started up in the pond. We will be looking (praying) for the coi and trying to decide if the frog floating around on its back is just sleeping or has met an untimely demise (whereupon we will distract my five year old so that said frog can be gently removed).

I will walk the gardens seeking signs of life...the sweet cabbage-like buds of sedum, the dainty strands of crocus, buds swelling on the lilac, plum and apple. I have been writing this long enough that the song of robin and whip-poor-will have started up and it is now time to go.

It is going to be a glorious day!

So until next time when I may have some lovely shots of my own garden to share, all spick and span, and bursting with life, I would like to share some photos from other gardeners who have been enjoying spring a little longer than I have.

From the lovely blog Wife, Gardener, Mother we have these gorgeous snowdrops and crocus...

Just love this cheerful little crocus surrounded by sedum acre:
http://wifemothergardener.blogspot.com

And from Sweetbay are these shots from her garden taken last April and May - she has the most beautiful woodland gardens...

White iris are stunning

A lush planting

And an elegant Alabama Azalea

And from a blog I found just yesterday, Rhone Street Gardens, we have these beautiful photographs from Scott Weber...

Snowdrops

vibrant hues of sedum welcome spring

I hope you enjoy this glorious Sunday and all that it has to offer. Happy gardening!

A Gentleman from Denmark

The gardens of Claus Dalby

A few years ago we had a wonderful customer who we were always happy to see. She was a vibrant, feisty 80 year old gardener with the most perfect name of Faith. She was sheer radiance and I always felt uplifted after being in her presence. She was an angel... a beautiful, loving spirit all decked out in black rubber boots and a plaid jacket. Her aura simply filled any room she entered.

Truly happy people like Faith are not that easy to find. Today, though, through the almighty grace of the internet, I came across a most inspiring gentleman from Denmark who seems to fit this bill nicely. He is a gardener by the name of Claus Dalby, who has designed and created a truly beautiful garden in Denmark. He is also a gifted writer. 


Dalby's gardening blog http://www.clausdalby.dk is written in his native tongue, and though the Google translation to english is at times charming, and others a little weird, the sweetness of the man who writes it and the gentleness of his soul comes shining through.

I love the tender simplicity of white gardens and was completely drawn to the composition that Dalby has created in his. His use of texture, contrast, repetition, and rythm is masterful and enchanting. The transition from season to season and from one flush of colour to another is a great demonstration of planning (and planning, and planning). 


The blog itself is a treasure trove of gardening advice, plant combinations, and encouraging words. I won't spoil it for you, you really need to grab a cup of tea and browse through it yourself. I am gushing, I know, (and using an abundance of adjectives)...but I'm having a hard time stopping myself.


Here are just a few of the photos waiting for you...

Leveillei  anemone

"Everything breathes peace and tranquility in the garden.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and my white doves 

circling around their pigeonholes."

~ Claus Dalby

Iris pseudacorus with spring green tulips 

Lunneria dancing through the tulips

Its a happy day for me when I find something new and different...new plants, new designers, new insights. Gardening is a school that will forever offer new lessons. I hope you enjoyed this post and appreciate your comments and I thank those who have sent me encouraging emails, they really do mean a lot.  Now please go make that tea and spend some time with this lovely gentleman from Denmark.

SpindleTree Gardens

SpindleTree Gardens are located near Tamworth, Ontario...the inspiring garden project of retired architect Tom Brown and his wife Susan Meisner. You would be hard pressed to meet two people who are more passionate, dedicated and downright delightful to be with. I have met both Tom and Susan and toured the gardens. A garden tour with Tom consists of 90 minutes of sheer entertainment....stories, garden facts, mythology. 

THE WALLED GARDEN
Photo credit: Mike de la Haye

His enthusiasm is contagious and he has every right to be proud. Refreshing is Tom and Susan's sense of humility. Too often gardens can become about the gardener and not the plants themselves. This is not the case here...Tom speaks of his many perennials with pride and reverence...they are the true stars of his show.

Currently, the gardens spread out over 20 acres of an 80 acre property. The highlights include extensive ponds, raised gardens, a meticulously maintained rose garden, a walled kitchen garden to die for, and a charming croquet court with hoops architecturally rendered after famous buildings.  

STONE COLUMNS AND CLEMATIS IN THE WALLED GARDEN
Photo credit: Mike de la Haye

The walls, pathways, pergolas, and columns have all been touched by the hands of Tom Brown. In fact, Tom has designed every bit of the architecture...walls, water features, bridge, garden layouts and so on, himself.  His creative stamp is everywhere. I don't know his exact age, not that it matters, but I do know that Tom is retired and performs labour intensive feats that would put men 30 years his junior to shame. He rarely hires help, preferring to do the majority of the work himself.

A RICHNESS OF SWEET PEAS IN THE WALLED GARDEN...
A STUNNING KITCHEN GARDEN THAT TAKES LETTUCE TO ARTISTIC LEVELS

Susan informs me that further expansion is in the works and they are halfway finished building a new curved conservatory/greenhouse which will be the focus of the allée at one end of the big field with the Victorian well cover as the focus looking the other way.  


I can hardly wait until the spring to see the new changes!

THE BRIDGE OVER THE LONG POND...
this steel bridge was designed by Tom Brown and constructed off site.
The hair-raising tale of how it finally came to rest safely over the Long Pond is
definitely worth the price of admission.

A VIEW OF THE LONG POND FROM THE BRIDGE..the ponds were constructed
by Tom and consist of elaborately hidden waterworks that keep everything flowing.

If you are fortunate to find yourself anywhere near here, I urge you to come for an inspiring visit.

Spindletree Gardens are located at 6248 County Road 4, Tamworth, ON K0K 3G0. The gardens open in 2012 on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 13) and close Thanksgiving Day (Monday, October 8th). Until gardening season starts again, you can visit their website, and talk to Susan on Facebook.