Do you agree with this or not?

I seen this plaque in a garden at Eureka Springs and was wondering if you agree or not. Marie

I believe that a garden evolves over a period of time... Of course, a flower can be packaged and mailed - and a shrub can be propagated and pruned. But a true garden begins inside the heart. It is a series of countless moments spent planting, weeding, watering and hoping. It is a process. It is a dream. It is not something that one "occupies", but something that one shares. It is not a destination, but a lifelong journey of discovery, joy and love. A garden draws us closer to our divine Creator, closer to other gardeners and closer to ourselves. It is the very essence of life.

smile--- What a touching response! Everybit of that was spoken from a true gardeners heart! Thanks

I could not have said it nearly as well as smiln32 did. I thoroughly agree. My daughter and i loved Eureka springs. Would love to go there again. Donna

I dont know if I'm having an emotional day or what, but that made me cry smiln. :)

I certainly bought most of my plants at the counter...but no, it wasn't a garden until I started digging, planting and caring about what went where...how it would look...moving things when they were in the 'wrong' spot, dividing...etc. And then spending time just looking at things. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm weird with all the times I've spent just wandering around, looking at things, looking again and then looking again at the same plant...bending...kneeling. Checking out the foliage to see the cool shapes or textures on a certain plant. Admiring the delicate flower petals on a rose. And just plain wondering, how the heck does this stuff make it through those nasty winters and come back looking so pretty? Most people I know at work, for example, have 'landscaping' around their house. They don't have a garden...they don't care about it.

ruth--isn't Eureka Springs out of this world!!! It is just like going back in time several hundred years! I have to include these two pictures ruth to take you back!

art---glad you said that! I don't feel so bad!

hczone--everyone thinks I have lost my mind because I have to move a perennial at least three times before I can decide if I want to keep it. haha

another one-

Great thread! Smilin and HC your writings brought tears to my eyes. There is true beauty everywhere in a garden that is filled with love or weeds. :~)

been there few times not seen the plaque.. its so very quaint so pretty there..

the h b, thanks for the pictures. I want to go back to ES very soon. We had such a good time there. Donna

It's lovely! And so very true! Smilin32 has expanded those lines in a most toiuching manner. (((smilin32))) Yes indeed, gardening begins in the heart - the seed is already there! No seed there and no gardening. I must add that it also aids in looking 'into ourselves'.

Marie, the more I read your threads, the more I know I'd love to meet you someday. :-) I love the plaque, I love Eureka Springs (I've been there...*many* many years ago with my grandparents.)

smiln' you only left out one thing in your description of my feelings about my garden. It's everything you said, *and* it makes me feel like I'm the *richest* person in the world. (That's a hard statement to explain...so I won't. :-D )

~julie~

You know, Julie, that's a very good point. There's a verse in the Bible that says "according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us" and I immediately thought of that in terms of gardening. I believe He also lavished on us the richness of His creation. It fills us to overflowing. I'm so glad you made that comment. I know exactly how you feel.

Smilin...you did it again! :-D That's *exactly* what I meant. And I thank Him every day for the blessings He gave (and continues to give daily) to me with my garden AND with the retirement my husband and I went into with great reservations. And, just between you and me ;-), I'm glad you know the feeling.

~julie~

In order to have a garden, one needs stuff (plants and such things) to put in it. Where does one usually go to get that stuff? Nurseries, greeenhouses, and your local Wal Mart to name a few places. (Unless you're lucky and get all of your plants and flowers from fellow gardeners)
So this seems to suggest that yes, a garden, or at least some of the physical parts of one can be bought over the counter. Trellises, arbors, fountains, gates, and all kinds of garden related items are also bought over the counter.

As for gardens "delivered and packaged to be set up and ready for occupancy the next day", kind of sounds like a greenhouse don't it?

But there is that part of gardening that goes way beyond anything that can be bought. All of us here know that, and most importantly, we feel it in our souls.

TC...

This message was edited Aug 2, 2004 11:53 PM