the secret garden…
May 15, 2011
I walked in the door and I knew this was the house…I could feel it, then I looked out the window and gasped.
“Whoa, wow…*sigh*”, no words really, just stammering.
He told me how it was a bare yard with grass when he moved in years ago but he hated grass, so he did this instead. He poured his soul into the green space with no experience really, just an artist at heart.
…and truthfully, I was instantly nervous. I had no idea how I would take care of it but I knew it was quite a gift…a garden like I had never seen, ponds, flowering trees, a cherry tree, a peach tree, a plum tree, raspberry, blackberry and wine berry bushes, a vegetable garden, all kinds of plants and flowers, an old rusted shed, a sandbox and repurposed tires, a tree swing…little nooks and pathways…so many hours of care and love.
The first few days, I wandered, I walked around in circles, under the trellis, and on the slate path, while my wild children deliriously flew through the air compliments of the old tree and small green swing…I figured even if I didn’t know what I was doing I would find a way. It just held so much magic…so much magic. Maybe even enough to cure my black thumb.
Neighbors gathered, giving me advice, tilled my first vegetable garden, shared plants, neighborhood kids swarmed…no one ever wants to leave. Kids marveling over honeysuckle, and mud pies, mulberry trees, fairy houses and games until dark. …pretending this is our secret garden.
Now I understand how sweet it is to grow things, to be part of the process… how a jar on your mantle with flowers you knew since they were just seeds is so, so lovely, how tomatoes ripe and red are a treasure, how something green can cure your soul.
Do you know this? It was a secret to me for so long…I so get it. …and for it to be handed to me to care for, all done, so beautiful, it was such kindness.
So just as the dear homeowners shared with me, I am so happy to get to pass it along and would love to invite you to join me…if you have a secret garden, or are a soul gardener looking to do a kindness mission, please stay tuned…and please link to pictures of your gardens, I’m swooning over such things these days.
You can see the rest of the secret garden pics here.
p.s. Thanks to all who wrote for the fields of kindness Ding Dong Ditch! I am happy to report we DDD’ed 8 boxes of berries, 2 of which to the wrong houses which we decided ended up being a TRUE DDD. And 2 we didn’t get to due to tired kids…so no worries! If you didn’t get your box, they are coming next week!
Kindnessgirl 
May 15, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Wow! That is just lovely! I’m working on a gardening inspiration post… I might just need to include you!
May 18, 2011 at 4:09 am
why thank you!! coming from you and your amazing garden spaces…*blush*! 🙂
May 16, 2011 at 8:36 am
We, unfortunately, bought a house that still had the nasty “we just built a house, better put in some green in front of it” shrubs that were 40 years old and NOT well cared for. Our gardens are works in progress. I used my 4×4 pickup to pull out all the original shrubs, had some trees cut down (there was virtually no sun in our yard), and have been planting like crazy. I’ve made some newbie mistakes, but like I said, it’s a work in progress 🙂 (no pics yet, as since we cut down the trees, the weeds have been going crazy, lol)
May 16, 2011 at 8:38 am
Forgot to say…
You lucky brat! 😉 This man obviously loved his gardens, and they are definitely beautiful…the type of yard I’m trying to build for my two boys.
May 18, 2011 at 4:12 am
I know, I am so very lucky!! I think that is what gets you hooked, that work in progress thing- it is so gratifying to do something even small and watch it change. Gotta send me pics when we get a little further in, I’m sure your boys will love it!!
May 16, 2011 at 7:34 pm
I had a rough night and just LOOKING at those pictures helped. Mother Nature is so healing – thank you for sharing.
May 18, 2011 at 4:12 am
so glad mama! hope last night was so much better… ❤
May 19, 2011 at 4:12 am
My goodness! Is that where you live??? So beautiful. And so true what you say about the joy of a flower grown from a seed (I especially love the flowers that self seeded themselves!) and the healing of green things.
May 19, 2011 at 7:36 pm
oh my goodness… is that truly *your* garden? oh so sweet and magical.
May 22, 2011 at 5:39 pm
God, I think I’m going to go to the mall to get some cherries now that I’ve seen them in the pics. But seriously, the garden is lovely (and the very first picture is brilliant, by the way), you indeed are one lucky girl!
June 22, 2011 at 7:09 am
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