Friday, April 3, 2009

Gardening can lift our spirits.

Some mornings you wake up depressed, this was one of my mornings. After coffee, I grabbed my camera and headed out to the gardens while the morning light was nice. It didn't take long for my mood to shift once I was out among God's creation. Pretty soon my heart felt lighter.

The first picture is taken by the gate that enters into our front patio area. I have been grouping a lot of potted plants together for easier watering. Plus it helps to block out some of the traffic racing past which would be to the left of the picture. My main garden is to the back of picture where the little white fencing is.



This view is looking back toward the gate. We still have the arbor to make over the gate.




This is a view of my main garden.
The blue bottles are not in the center piece,
they just look like it.






This picture is on the east/driveway side of our cottage. The 'scullery' is on the left and my shed is on the right. There is a door into the secret garden behind our cottage in the wall going off from the scullery. There is Confederate Jasmine growing on the scullery side. A statue of St. Francis is in the corner, and in the large terra cotta pot I just planted St. Vincent's Lilac vine. I can hardly wait for that to grow up the lattice and start blooming.




This is of the east side of my shed, with it's little garden in back and the one in front. We found the old street sign many years ago and recently put it on this shed among the roses and bougainvillea. It reads Plum Tree Rd.




That's it for now.
I am thankful for our little haven.
Thankful to God for his wonderful creation,
that brings joy to my heart. I am thankful for his tender mercies,
and his loving care.

FlowerLady


******

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have

into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos

to order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes

sense of our past,
brings peace for today,

and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

7 comments:

Dirt Princess said...

Oh FlowerLady...you know that today I completely understand! You feel down and out...and just don't want to get going. But you are right. Get up and walk outside...it is like an immediate high to see all of your flowers. That bouganvillea (sp?) would especially lift my spirits!!!! We can't grow them that big in South Alabama! Mine didn't make it through the winter! I am jealous!! You have a GREAT weekend...it should be nice

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Dear Dirt Princess ~ Thank you for your kind words. I was sorry to read you did not get that job you wanted. Maybe, maybe it really wasn't the right job for you. We don't know why things work out the way they do, but in our hearts we trust God to work all things out. We are very precious to him. ~ It's been gray, windy and looked like rain all day, so far nothing. I work tomorrow, so no playing in the gardens for me. I did get out and give things a drink of miracle-gro this morning. Tomorrow is one of my two watering days, if it doesn't rain.

Hope your weekend is a good one whatever you do. Love your hat! I wear one out in the gardens too with flowers attached. It helps to keep the sun off head and face.

Hugs ~ FlowerLady

Phoenix C. said...

I so agree with you that gardening can lift our spirits! Just being outside with the sights, sounds and smell of the earth and plants is exhilarating.

Your garden looks lovely!

Here in the UK things are starting to grow in profusion, with spring flowers blooming in the recent sunshine.

sweetbay said...

Your garden looks like a tropical paradise. No wonder it lifts your spirits, it would anyone's!

I agree, there is nothing as soothing and uplifting to the soul as getting out in the garden.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

It's just so pretty! I love all your planters. I can see how walking through your gardens would lift your spirits!

MA said...

Hi there! Just found your garden blog and so glad I did. Hope your growing season is a good one. I am getting a very slow start here in Idaho.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Flowerlady,
I am back playing catch up. It is good we have our gardens to lift our spirits. I always enjoy seeing how your flowers are growing. Mine are coming up, too.

Hugs,
Sue