Garden Visits

My Stratford is a place of beauty where local citizens take pride in their gardens. Today I went on the annual "Garden Tour" run by the local Horticultural Society.




It was indeed a treat to get a glimpse into the various havens that people have created: peaceful oases, interesting plants, rich combinations of colour and texture. I always have a sense of awe when experiencing the creativity of mankind, but it definitely adds to the pleasure to have it displayed under a sunlit blue canopy with a gentle breeze to occasionally cool the wanderer,





the trickle of fountains to soothe the soul, and the sweet scent of blossoms.









It was an opportunity to glimpse masterpieces formed in conjunction with the Creator himself.


Thank you, Stratford, for opening your private gardens for us to enjoy.

The Theatre Gardens in Spring

I took a stroll past the Festival Theatre today in order to spend time in the gardens there. This is one of the delightful gems of Stratford...natural artistry side by side with the dramatic arts.

A new pansy bed freshly planted holds promise of a lovely carpet of bloom to come.

The Arthur Meighan perennial garden displays her spring colours.




As the season progresses this garden area will provide a constant change of "scenery". With identifying labels on most plants it is a gardener's dream. I often come here to see what is in bloom at certain times, so I know what to buy to enhance my own little piece of God's creation.


A row of blossom trees I had never noticed before, just below the theatre, add their beauty to the baseball and soccer fields of lower Queens Park.










If you haven't been to Stratford in the Spring, why not consider it? The town is coming to life in so many ways, and the theatre tickets are less expensive. It's a win win!

A Touch of Spring

We who love to garden get itchy palms come Spring. We can't wait to release the child within, to get our hands in the mud, and to marvel once again at the beauty of creation and new life. With the balmy weather we in Stratford have experienced in March and April, spring duties are progressing ahead of schedule. Gardens that we normally don't touch until mid May have had the vestiges of winter removed and the spring buds have turned their smiling faces ton greet the sun.













Here are a few of the jewels from my front garden that catch my eye when I step out these days. They are too beautiful not to share.

GARDENS AND GARDENERS

June 16, 2009

My Stratford is a place of exquisite beauty, with gardens to touch the soul.

A short piece down the road from my home is a garden that I have admired from afar. In my imagination it has become “the Secret Garden”. Lofty spruce with branches sweeping down to touch the earth create a natural privacy fence. Through the holes in the branches, last year I spied the most amazing blossom tree I had never seen, a tree totally covered with brilliant rosy hues. On a clear day, with the sun bathing the garden, one senses a myriad of colours beyond the low slung boughs. Everything I have been able to see looked so delightful, so enticing, with a wonderful blend of blossom,grass and ornamental leaves to perk up dreary corners. This year they had even added small beds under the spruce, with rocks, hostas, and a few choice blossom plants.

Today as I walked by, I noticed a sign stating that there were plants for sale. On my way home I noticed the pots up towards the house, and stopped by to take a look. As I was reading the signs, I heard a voice asking if there was anything she could do to help. There on the porch the owner was sitting relaxing. I told her how much I admired her garden, and becoming very brave, asked if I could see it. “Yes, by all means. Go on in. Take your time.”

Words can barely describe the array of perennials woven with artistry among the winding grassy paths. When I thought I'd reached the end, a corner appeared with yet another path leading beyond a pergola to a cosy garden shed. A jeweled peach iris, delicate columbines, grasses, and a few well-placed statues and crockery created a rare and pleasing natural gem.

When I returned to the entry point, the gardener and I exchanged pleasantries. I discovered they had moved here ten years ago, and aside from the first three beds which a professional had created for them, everything else they had done themselves. It has definitely been a labour of love. We left with a promise to do some sharing of plants.

As I walked home I realized that it is not only our gardens that are beautiful. It is our gardeners too!



The pictures I am attaching today are of city gardens. Perhaps another day I will get permission to share this special garden with you.

REFLECTIONS

June 11, 2009

My Stratford is a place of reflection and peace. This morning as I went for an early stroll by the river, I was captured by the perfect reflections of the houses on the north side, stunningly beautiful and far beyond the capabilities of my camera to reproduce. Nevertheless, it offered a time of reflection as I tried.

My memory wandered back to days of my childhood, going for walks along the river with my mother on a hot summer's day. The Shakespearean gardens were a place of enchantment then, and are still one of Stratford's often unnoticed havens of peace. Approaching them from the north side under the Huron Street Bridge I discovered a patch of exquisite greenery, hostas of all kinds, tucked where only a walker could view them.

This summer I am determined to walk along new pathways to see what other treasures Stratford holds. Camera in hand I will capture them as best I can and each day that I write on this blog, will share with you another brush stroke on the canvass that is “My Stratford”.