The gardens are frozen over by snow right now, but underneath, roots are spreading and bulbs are multiplying. There is always an evolution in the works, even when it seems impossible. I have decided to evolve this creativity blog into my gardening journal. The thought germinated after a "Tweet"on Twitter by a gardening enthusiast referenced one of my entries in my painting blog, about our Japanese inspired garden in our backyard. ( View "The Oasis" at http://wwwgailallenartist.blogspot.com ) Gardening is, and always has been, as important an aspect in my life, as my artwork. It is an extension of my creativity through use of Spirit's life force. Gardening seems to sustain me - the ongoing joke in our house when I am withering indoors, (I am especially cranky during the dormant season) is that I "need to go dig in the dirt". There has always been a tug of war between creating artwork and getting out into the gardens.....which have become numerous. Over the many, many years gardening has been inspirational, fulfilling, irrational - even absurd at times, and sustaining. My husband is my partner in creation and keeps the irrational, artistic side of me in check. Although not always enthusiastic when first getting wind of my newest "creation", he usually signs on - we seem to have this wonderful check and balance system and each spring we keep going through it again, thanks to two active imaginations.
A bit of history on my gardening background. I was born to parents who were very creative and came from farming families. We were in the garden from the earliest I can remember and knew most flowers, trees and vegetable names before I was in fourth grade. We scouted for mushrooms on early Sunday mornings after church, under towering pine and oak groves. It seemed magical to me as a child. One of my earliest artworks was a flip book of a mushroom under the pine needles sprouting up. I always had plants growing, even when I lived in the city during college. Then our "real" journey began after getting married and buying our first house on an excavated sand pit! Sand and rocks and clay...oh my. The journey began. After multiple moves, we have settled on five acres which have evolved and expanded into gardens of every possible kind. I will be chronicling lessons learned, putting up old and new pictures of our gardens, as well as book lists and other sites I enjoy that you may find helpful in your gardening journey.
I hope this will be inspirational in germinating new growth in your creativity through gardening. On this eve of a blue moon I would like to Welcome You to 2010 - Happy New Year, may it bring you peace, prosperity and happiness in your garden of life. All the best....
A bit of history on my gardening background. I was born to parents who were very creative and came from farming families. We were in the garden from the earliest I can remember and knew most flowers, trees and vegetable names before I was in fourth grade. We scouted for mushrooms on early Sunday mornings after church, under towering pine and oak groves. It seemed magical to me as a child. One of my earliest artworks was a flip book of a mushroom under the pine needles sprouting up. I always had plants growing, even when I lived in the city during college. Then our "real" journey began after getting married and buying our first house on an excavated sand pit! Sand and rocks and clay...oh my. The journey began. After multiple moves, we have settled on five acres which have evolved and expanded into gardens of every possible kind. I will be chronicling lessons learned, putting up old and new pictures of our gardens, as well as book lists and other sites I enjoy that you may find helpful in your gardening journey.
I hope this will be inspirational in germinating new growth in your creativity through gardening. On this eve of a blue moon I would like to Welcome You to 2010 - Happy New Year, may it bring you peace, prosperity and happiness in your garden of life. All the best....
