Lois de Vries' Garden Views

Although Dr. Mays did not have garden design in mind when he said this, the spirit of his thought is a suitable one for us to incorporate when cultivating our inner gardener practice: "It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is a sin." ~ Benjamin E. Mays ~

Shortly after one of Hurricane Sandy’s giant arms swept through our property last October, someone asked me how my garden fared. My reply? “Garden? What garden?” If that response resonates with you, read on. We were more fortunate than many; none of our 35 downed trees fell on the house, although some missed it by inches. There’s a ton of work ahead of us and little chance to restoring the garden to what it once was. Time to step back and get some perspective. It’s all too easy to get swept up in the hullabaloo that surrounds clean-up efforts and give short shrift to our emotional and spiritual pain. But, like any loss, if we don’t grieve the death of our gardens, it becomes impossible to move on. When we’re able take a longer view, we must acknowledge that this is one of the ways that Nature renews herself. In our case, the forest canopy had nearly closed, meaning that not enough sunlight reaches the forest floor to germinate tree seeds and support new growth. By clearing an openin...

Meet me at the Franklin Lakes Public Library on October 9 th , when I’ll be the featured speaker in its Lecture Series . I'll be introducing Cultivating the Inner Gardener, an illustrated talk that focuses on how gardening from the inside out creates a personal space that is not only beautiful and healthy, but also combats stress by providing a sanctuary from today's hectic world. The presentation, which includes stunning garden photos, begins at 7:00pm at the Library, 4 70 De Korte Drive, Franklin Lakes, NJ  07417 . I’ll explain how gardeners at every level of expertise can dig more deeply into the meaning that gardening holds for them, in order to create a more satisfying experience. Once they learn how to invest thoughtful time up front, they’ll eliminate confusion and expensive mistakes later. By planning a space that harmonizes with their personal dream of what a garden can be, homeowners can focus on the things that really matter to them. For details, contac...

The  international bookweek. meme has been making the rounds for a couple of years. While it may not be official, it is fun and runs through today. Give it a try: It's international bookweek. The rules: Grab the book closest to you, turn to page 52, post the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the title. Copy the rules as part of your own post: “(I also add generous handfuls of both alfalfa and kelp meal)”

Join me at The Gardeners of Watchung Hills on September 25 th at at 8:00pm at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 725 Mountain Avenue, in Berkeley Heights, NJ , where I'll be presenting Cultivating the Inner Gardener, an illustrated talk that focuses on how gardening from the inside out creates a personal space that is not only beautiful and healthy, but also combats stress by providing a sanctuary from today's hectic world. The presentation includes photos of gardens that hold special meaning for their owners and shows how they have incorporated their own values and fondest memories to produce a garden rich in personal meaning. I’ll explain how gardeners at every level of expertise can dig more deeply into the meaning that gardening holds for them, in order to create a more satisfying experience. When you make the commitment to garden from the inside out, you create a clear path that takes you directly to where your heart wants to go. You invest thoughtful tim...

Big Blue Sea Holly Mid-July is here -- time for gardeners, including me, to check how much progress has been made towards inner gardener resolutions for 2012. The local drought just broke; with any luck there is still an opportunity to make some mid-season adjustments and get our garden planning back on track. The weather wasn’t the only curveball thrown into our gardening schedule this year. While recovering from an illness, instead of working on garden design, I spent January through June talking about what I wanted done, pointing to where I wanted it done, and watching the under-gardener do it. (Thank you Dan). We had lots of bright garden ideas; here’s the progress we made: The Fountain. Our carved-stone fish fountain has been spitting out recirculated water into its clamshell catch-basin since early spring. It still needs some work to plug a leak around the tubing, and I’m still evaluating whether it’s in the exact right spot, but it’s been ...

The Gentlewoman's Potting Table - A Living World Awaits The Women’s Association of Morristown Medical Center has once again done a superb job on the 2012 Mansion in May. My favorites, of course, are the gardens and the landscape designers, have put together some clever and inspirational ideas for visitors to enjoy. While few of us have the space or the purse to reproduce their grand concepts in toto , these visual delights can be used as jumping-off points for even the most humble of gardens. I tend to favor the moody spaces, such as Back to Nature’s A Living World Awaits and Cording Landscape Design’s Garden in the Glyn, where, in my imagination, I can slip right into the scene before me. But, there’s a garden for everyone here, from the very formal Tudor Rose Garden to the very casual Sports Court. Don’t miss it. While you’re helping the Women’s Association raise funds for the new Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Care Center, you’ll glean some great ideas for you...