“Don’t think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It’s quiet, but the roots are down there riotous”.
Rumi
This is one of my favourite quotes for this time of year when we notice the day light hours gradually increasing. Very slowly at first and then it seems to gather pace. I went into our garden this morning at first light and the birds were already singing. I have found it difficult to paint with every day being grey and dark but the rain and wind has at last given way to bright very blue sky days. No longer “pink dawns and white sunsets” (Thomas Hardy ) I can see pink sunsets and golden dawns.
Hellebores are happy to bloom in the winter cold and two viburnum bushes have been covered in pink sweet scented flowers since December. The garden will be full of colour in the spring – snowdrops, crocus, celandine, daffodils will flower again and roses will bloom in June but right now I can see trees that are strangely more beautiful without leaves as I watch the early morning sunrise light up each branch and trunk.
I have a wonderful book of gardening quotes which are truly inspirational.Another favourite is “a garden should feel like a walk in the woods”We are fortunate to have many trees in our garden and space for them to grow.Over the years my husband has planted fruit trees, silver birch and beech while Hazel grows everywhere side by side with ash seedlings. It is all about the trees someone once said to us while visiting our garden in summertime…
They were right, an artist’s garden is all about the trees as well as flowers. It’s time to paint them while the sun shines!
