Serenity in the Garden

SOFT SIDED PLANTER  Soft-sided fabric aeration container that has the rigidity to hold its shape Provides aeration, enhancing root structure, resulting in a vigorous plant with more flowers and fruits and increased insect and disease resistance Allows excess heat to escape Developed for, and used by commercial tree growers 7 Gallon capacity; 14 inch diameter x 9.5 inch height Mushroom Kit  You will love being able to grow their own edible mushrooms with this do-it-yourself kit.  In as little as 10 days, kids can grow up to 1-1/2 lbs. of gourmet oyster mushrooms, right out of the milk carton-shaped box. It only takes three easy steps - just open, mist and harvest.  The soil inside is 100% recycled coffee grounds, which are safe and sustainable. Pine Cone Bell  Enjoy the gentle sounds brought by the wind - brought to you by SPI,  valued by prominent interior designers and home décor specialists. ...

The just-released, 10th Anniversary Edition of “Digging Deep.”    I am celebrating the publication of  Fran Sorin’s   10th Anniversary Edition of Digging Deep - Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening  a one-of-a-kind garden book that talks about developing a creative spirit through gardening. I am writing this as part of a “virtual book party” and am doing this because this wonderful book deserves all the attention it can get! Fran Sorin, author of 'Digging Deep, 10th Anniversary edition' In honor of  Digging Deep’s  Cyber Book Party , Fran has  priced the e-book at .99  while the giveaway is live.  99-cents - what a great deal!  But this is good only through December 8th so act fast. In addition there are some great prizes for you! But first let me share why this book is such a treasure. The best way I can think of is to show you what other people have said about it : "Digging Deep t...

 "There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still. "  - Pantone 2015 Color Forecast acer griseum - Paperbark Maple

from Design Seeds Those of us who love color (me! me!) can’t resist the urge to include all the hues on the color wheel in our gardens.    Jan Johnsen  - colorful flower garden  Color does add a dramatic punch to a garden but it can result in visual cacophony (aka : a colorful mess).   Longwood Gardens,  in Kennett Square, Pa addressed this dilemma in their 600 foot long ‘ Flower Garden Walk’.  They decided to feature one color at a time.. from Design Seeds So along this broad brick walk is a mix of flowers, spring bulbs, shrubs and grasses that showcases one individual color followed by another.  As you stroll, you experience the full impact of each color of the rainbow, before going on to the next. At the start is a grand sweep of lavender, purple and blue courtesy: historicfloralgardens.blogspot  which melds into soft pinks and reds then changes to oranges and wa...

sculpture by Ruth Moilliet - Bluebell 2 The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. ~ George Bernard Shaw Many of us turn to gardens and landscapes as a way to create a more meaningful connection to the earth. This urge is the impetus behind this garden blog. I share my experiences in the garden world as a way to inspire others to ‘touch the earth’. garden by Jan Johnsen  I believe the piece of ground outside our door can be a conduit for us to appreciate the energy that flows within plants, water, trees, sunlight, rocks, birds and assorted creatures. It is in a garden, as George Bernard Shaw declared, where we can touch the divine. Looking at the natural world in this way is nothing new. The idea of sanctified outdoor space was the genesis for the sacred groves of the Egyptians, Indians and Greeks. It birthed the medieval labyrinths and Native Americans’ 'medicine wheels'. And ancient Chinese geomanc...

Circles in the landscape - design by Jan Johnsen Our natural inclination, when in a group, is to gather in a circle. The ineluctable unity of this shape gives each person equal standing, equal voice and equal support. It is a perfect shape for expressing ourselves to others.  The result? A unified purpose or intention arising from talking and listening, in turn. Yay for the circle! Like theater in the round, no one has a better seat than anyone else. It is no wonder that circular gathering spaces are popular for group activities and in various spiritual traditions. The Contemplative Mind is enhanced through circular gatherings This is why I advocate  Circular Peace Gardens  wherever people may gather. A circle is a nurturing form that invites us in - there are no hard edges, corners or angles. Alcazar Garden, Seville, Spain  photo by Jan Johnsen  So what is the perfect size for a circular 'people s...

Alexander Calder was a famous  artist that used shapes that are 'biomorphic'.  They recall shapes found in nature such as leaves, flowers, clouds. Shadbush leaves in Autumn - Calder's inspiration? Calder's other interests included physics, astronomy and kinetics.  He was inspired by color and composition and Piet Mondrian's paintings. by Piet  Mondrian, this incorporates Phi proportion In some of Calder's signature hanging mobiles, he arranged colorful natural shapes in a mathematical pattern found in Nature called the Fibonacci sequence which is based on the proportion known as PHI (1:1.618). In the Calder mobile below, called, 'Back, White and Ten Red' , the shapes are arranged in the Fibonacci sequence, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5.....(each number is the sum of the two preceding it).  Perhaps he got this idea from Mondrian who also used Phi in his famous artworks. Fibonacci sequence in Calder's  'Black, White and Ten ...