This Annual Dusk

This Annual Dusk

Amidst cold flames
licking crisp, blue skies
Tawny hues flickering
amongst the bronze
I stand separate
observing and alone.

Mesmerized by the bees
They urgently siphon
every last drop
from the cellars of asters
I remain rooted.

I should follow
their example, get busy
but I cannot
my spirit is unwilling
All around
bustle the squirrels
and retreating birds
All are busy but not I.

With the fading
of the garden
goes my desire
to seize the moment
To pick up summer’s debris
make ready for approaching winter
invest soundly in next spring
This season that serves
all others.

As weary as I am
of dog days
I’m loathe to let them go
I cannot prepare
for frosty nights
I shrink from the cold fingers
that wait to grasp
this piece of my heart
and keep it suspended
in time.

I wrote those lines exactly two years ago. It is so hard to ignore the shortening days. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. However, I’ve begun practicing what I call “seasonal mindfulness”. With or without my consent, the turning of seasons is inevitable. So, I told myself to take my cues from my favorite teacher – my garden. It performs exactly as it ought no matter what comes its way. Resilient, adaptable, stoic and practical, nature makes each change a celebration. Every happening is an opportunity for new growth.

As I settle on a bench, I’m acutely aware of the russet hued leaves swirling around till coming to a rest at my feet. Squirrels ignore me as they charge past preparing for leaner times. No doubt I will find some of their treasures when I get around to emptying the large pots later in the month. The sedums are covered in bees these days. So focused are they that some forget to return to their hives on time; they spend the cool nights motionless on the flowers till the morning sun warms them up. Overhead, I watch flights of birds journeying their way south. Those are the wise ones who know to leave before it gets too late. None of these busy souls are lamenting the passing of summer. They are simply in the moment. I see that if I want to be mindfully present, I need to show up.

Life all around me has accepted the change. I follow suit. I inhale deeply – the air is edged lightly with crispy, cold crystals. I’m ready to join the autumnal do si do with my fellow creatures of the garden. I acknowledge the end of summer as I cut back plants, clean out beds and rake fallen leaves. As I work, I review the garden – did I accomplish what I wanted to do, was I true to my principals, could I do something differently? I get ready for winter ahead with the picking of apples from the espaliered trees yet to shed their foliage, drying bunches of herbs for stomach warming stews, canning the last of the tomatoes, freezing batches of basil pesto. The canicular days to come will be filled with memories of summer. As I plant the bulbs all over the garden, I’m brimming with hope – spring will return, light will linger longer and color will once again suffuse the somber, winter weary landscape.

I enjoy making a ceremony of welcoming autumn. My chores in the garden are rituals. They bring my mind to the present. As I savor the last of the figs and move the trees into sheltered space, I marvel at the warm, vivid colors of the leaves. The ornamental grasses rustle and wave seed heads that shimmer in the late afternoon light. I’m struck anew by the beauty of the season. There is a sacred silence within my heart.

In living in rhythm with nature, I honor the gift I’m proffered – the continuing chance to re-do, to improve, to grow. Myself as well as the garden.

Apples awaiting

Apples awaiting


Bulbs awaiting

Bulbs awaiting


Figs awaiting!

Figs awaiting!


Glorious autumnal colors. At NYBG.

Glorious autumnal colors. At NYBG.

Own It!


In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own.
– Alice Walker.

Some time back, I had the pleasure of visiting a garden so lovely that my first reaction was that I must be at the wrong place. I’d arrived to meet with a client who had said she needed to do over her entire property. In our communiques, she had failed to mention that there already was a mature garden in place. I was puzzled about what was needed. Having arrived a bit early and ahead of the client’s return home, I took a walk around the grounds.

This beautiful garden was lush. Ancient oaks, tall cedars, American poplars and majestic beeches stood around like sentinels. Well manicured lawns dotted with large flower beds filled with all sorts of plants begged for closer examination. Roses abounded. In fact, a quick count said there were 18 types of them. The boxwoods that edged all the beds were meticulously clipped and shaped. This was no simple garden. Much work had gone into its making. It came as no surprise when I learned that the previous owners had created the gardens when they had built the house some forty years ago. I was beginning to understand my clients dilemma.

Nobody wants to destroy an existing good garden. The guilt alone would keep one awake for eons of nights. But, times, tastes and circumstances change. How much is a new owner obligated to maintain what is in place? Neighbors tend to adopt a certain proprietorial attitude and count on the garden remaining as is. “ Hope you will keep the Smith’s garden going! You are very lucky to have a ready made one! This has always been such an asset to the neighborhood!” Is this reasonable? What is the new owner to do?

It is possible that the new owner has the desire, skills, time and means to keep the ‘inherited’ garden as is. But that is hardly ever the case. One does not usually purchase a home to become the caretakers of another person’s passion. One must claim the place for oneself.

Gardens are never static. Their very nature is to change – through the seasons, fluctuations in the weather patterns, the gardener’s ever changing mind and, the inevitable effects of time. Like all living things, gardens age. A garden works best when it reflects the owners tastes. Even when restoration of gardens occur, they are invariably interpretations of the original. Coming back to that question, what should the new owner do?

First and foremost, the owner needs to assess his/her own attitude to gardening. Its importance, one’s interest, taste, needs and means. Even if the existing garden is exactly what is wanted, is he/she going to be able to maintain it? Happily, there is no immediate rush. As with any new property, it is wise to wait the year to see the garden through all the seasons. This wait period gives a very clear idea on what it takes to keep it up. Make note of what one does and does not like. Take plenty of photos because the memory will fail. I guarantee.

With such a list in hand, add other factors such as budget, time, sustainability, alternatives to those plants that must go – you get the idea. Unless, you are a seasoned gardener, it helps to get the advice of either a professional or a veteran gardener.

Old gardens often have exotic plants. As long as they are thriving, it seems logical to keep them. However, a little research will enlighten you if they are high on upkeep, prone to disease etc. Also, a garden today should, in good conscience, have a reasonable quantity and variety of native plants. This is the only way to bring up the numbers of our native pollinators and pest controllers. It behooves every gardener to maintain the right equation of natives and non-natives in the garden. This is particularly true of large shrubs and trees. With this in mind, the flower beds can be redone. Large lawns can be shrunk with the addition of trees and shrubs.

Gardens should be in keeping with current knowledge and practices. This involves the aforementioned native plantings, application of organic materials to promote growth as well as control pests, consumption of less water, reduction in the use of fuel powered tools and, catering to the personal needs and style of those who will enjoy this space. Time is always at a premium. It then is logical to eliminate elements that demand too much time and energy. Fussy plants, in my opinion should be got rid off altogether. A garden must always suit the lifestyle of the owner.

So, what did my client do? The handsome trees remained as did features like pergolas, benches and pond but the flower beds and lawns were disposed off. All the banished plants were disbursed amongst the neighbors so they could have a piece of the previous garden. Being a chef/caterer, the owner put in a huge vegetable garden – one that would supply all her needs for fresh herbs and produce. Soft fruit shrubs were added. The plots also boast plenty of flowers so they can be used to adorn the tables at events. It is a practical garden but still very beautiful.

I recall the much publicized outrage when England’s Christopher Lloyd ripped up the roses from his already renowned gardens at Great Dixter. He went on to replace them with the vivid oranges, reds and yellows of plants more tropical in nature. He was simply claiming his ancestral home for himself. It had to be a reflection of his personality. This new style went on to become much admired and today, it continues to evolve under the care of Fergus Garret who was Lloyd’s head gardener.

The process of taking ownership of the garden and putting your personal stamp on it, is merely creating an horticultural palimpsest. While the original is effaced, traces of it will remain. And that, is perfectly okay.
Enjoy some seasonal photos:








(c) 2013 Shobha Vanchiswar

Forever Summer

I’m clinging fiercely to summer. Vacation is over, school is well underway, the work load is mounting, tree tops are glowing yellow-orange and the early mornings bear a distinct chill. Still, I’m celebrating summer. Not the sticky heat of the season or it’s bug filled evenings. Its the attitude we adopt every summer that I’m keeping close to my heart.

The farmer’s markets burgeon with the bounty of summer. Tomatoes, basil, peaches, eggplants, squash, corn and figs jostle for space with the new apples and pears that announce the change of season. As days gradually get shorter and sweaters are resurrected, our minds start looking ahead to Halloween, Thanksgiving and further on. The pace picks up. Summer quickly becomes a distant memory. While my favorite seasons are spring and fall ( in that order ), it is the summer mentality that I wish we would hold on to for ever.

How is it that one automatically relaxes and lightens up in this time of school breaks, fireflies and fireworks? How is it we are so willing to put up with humidity, bad hair days, mosquito bites, sun burn, jelly fish and, monster weeds? Could it be the extra hours of sunshine, the higher temperatures, the fresh produce, bare feet and open beaches? We smile more, complain less and savor the days of this light filled trimester with an eagerness rivaled only by children on Christmas morning. Wish we could be this way forever. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Must they?

I seek my answer in the garden. Here lies the nexus of seasons. While the hydrangea are in full bloom, the asters are beginning to open. As the tomatoes ripen, the grapes are ready for harvest. The apples turn rosy while the pelargoniums show no sign of fading. Seed pods rattle and ornamental grasses swish. Birds get ready for long flights as squirrels prepare to settle down. Roses still blush when bees come calling. Things do not stop in the garden. Life continues in all its rich ways. As one season comes to a close, another starts. It is all good. Appreciating what is happening right now only to welcome what comes next is what the garden is instructing me to do. The cycle of seasons is eternal so there is no need for tearful adieus to summer. After all, would I pause to appreciate a fresh fig if I could pluck one off the tree all through the year?

Instead, I gather basil so there is pesto to flavor the meals that will warm us after a brisk snow fight. The concord grapes are transformed into jam for the many sandwiches that will be consumed through the school year. Arm loads of hydrangea are dried for arrangements at the Thanksgiving table. Seeds are collected for next years crops of chillies, sweet Williams, tomatoes, nasturtiums and peas. One grows pumpkins in summer but they are ready only in autumn. Bulbs are planted in autumn so we have a display in spring but first, a necessary winter must be passed . One season continues into another.

It is simply about embracing fully what each moment has to offer. Take one’s fill of it. The effects will linger and perfume the times still to come.

While I cannot avoid my work related obligations, the daily slew of emails marked high priority, garden chores that are time sensitive or the pressures of an ever lengthening to-do list, I can approach them with the temperament of summer. I will factor in the down time we usually allow ourselves for that one season into all of the others. Be more laid back, less compelled to enforce self-imposed rules and deadlines. There is always time to enjoy every last drop of morning coffee, to push back from my desk and catch up with my daughter’s doings, to watch the moon rise, to have a proper conversation with my husband, to listen to my heart and acknowledge the miracle that is life. Every day.
Summer lives forever. Vive l’été.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea


Asters

Asters


Apples for the picking

Apples for the picking


Baptisia seed pods

Baptisia seed pods


Summer bounty at the market

Summer bounty at the market


Heritage rose

Heritage rose


Concord grape harvest

Concord grape harvest


Grape jam galore!

Grape jam galore!


(c) 2013 Shobha Vanchiswar

Through The Eyes Of Children

(Get yourself a cup of tea and settle in to read this longish post!)
School has started and with that, our lives are once again in sync with their schedules and activities. Play dates, music lessons, athletic practice and games, doctor and/or orthodontist appointments, tutoring, SATs, college visits, and so many other activities seem to leave very little free time for everybody. I don’t mean time spent watching TV or playing video games but that space in a day that provides real thinking, inspired creating to happen. When imagination can soar and the mind and body are engaged in pure, unadulterated fun. Do you remember those times? What happened? Somewhere, somehow, we sacrificed our unique, creative selves to conform to trends and succumb to everyday pressures. To make matters worse, we’ve, albeit unintentionally, impoverished our children in the imagination and play department.
Are you surprised by what I’ve just said? How can this be you ask – when you have provided your offspring a super-sized backyard swing-set, a trunk full of costumes, computer and video games, a whole room of toys, shelves of books and entire collections of movies. In addition, there are the gymnastic/ballet/karate/music/sports activities. How on earth could the young ones be deprived?
Think back. To your own childhood. What were the most fun times? I’m betting they had nothing to do with most of the aforementioned items. With the exception of books, everything else is either structured and/or telling one how to do something. They do not provide for that delicious sense of imagination and creative thinking. Instead of ready-made costumes, creating one from unlikely sources is more fun ( aluminum foil over cardboard swords, capes from mom’s old scarves, parchment paper fairy wings). Staging a play with original script, costumes and sets can involve days of creative activity as opposed to a couple of hours watching a video. Having the freedom to imagine alone and with others leads to all sorts of brilliant projects and memories. One acquires skill sets that will be handy forever.
When my daughter was very young, she would put up puppet shows using her stuffed animals as the various characters. Influenced by the classical music she has always loved, her shows were ambitious productions such as Bizet’s Carmen. She’d make out tickets and programs, provide ‘costumes’ to bears, dogs and such and in makeshift settings, we’d watch Pooh bear perform as Don Jose to Carmen elephant as a recording of the entire opera played in the background. It was hilarious but we didn’t dare laugh outright. In the puppeteer’s mind, they were as good as the Met Opera cast. The tough part was sitting through the full length production. Dinner was delayed till intermission, dishes and other chores awaited the finale. I’m so grateful that we taped these priceless performances.
Then there were those play dates when she and her friend(s) would enjoy her amazing third generation doll house. I’d overhear the ‘Darwins’ ( my daughter had decided very early on that Charles Darwin lived in said house) engaged in Sunday activities. The bewildered play date was informed that only Mrs. Darwin and children went to church “because Mr. Darwin was not sure about God and stuff”. I took such pleasure in hearing the adaptation of book to play!
The point I’m making is that children come completely equipped with imagination and skills to play and create on their own. All we need to do is give them that elusive luxury – unstructured time. Lots of it.
So now we come to providing for them in the garden. I’m just going to come out and say it – a play-set has absolutely no business in your yard. I’m not being judgmental. Just hear me out before you take umbrage. In my opinion, parks and playgrounds are meant for regular slides, swings etc., In one’s own garden, a simple swing from a tree is plenty. The one that hangs from our old red maple was frequently employed for certain dare-devil launches that made it a favorite amongst children. They’d watch the ‘demonstration’ by the young owner and then with some trepidation try it out for themselves. Before long, I’d have to start yelling to them to be a bit more careful.

The airplane swing suspended from the red maple

The airplane swing suspended from the red maple


A small tree is terrific for climbing. My husband recalls practically living in the guava tree at his childhood home. He and a friend devoured the fruits and shared adventures aplenty in that hideaway. A real tree house is the best getaway place of all – to read, write secret letters, conspire with friends, loll about, dream, surreptitiously observe the goings on below, escape adult scrutiny. Crawling under shrubs to hide or explore can lead to exciting discoveries of toads, caterpillars and nests. Fairy houses from twigs, leaves and bark await occupation, acorn tea cups set on tiny ‘stumps’ stand ready for a party. Alone or with a friend, there is so much to see, do and conjure in a garden. Later, a trip to the local playground will be a different sort of play with exciting possibilities of making new friends or watching the ‘big’ kids master the monkey bars.
Tree house conversations

Tree house conversations


Tree house aerie

Tree house aerie


Tree house concert

Tree house concert


Friends of mine had the Towers Of Death for their two boys. The boys played there endlessly for several years till they suddenly came to the realization that the Towers were no longer high or even remotely scary. In actuality, tree stumps of various heights randomly connected by planks of wood were all that spurred this death defying activity. But what lofty adventures were had in this space!

By providing children with a few, simple elements in the garden is more than enough to fire up their imaginations. They are experts at it. The adults actually spoil the whole thing. These days we can and are guilty of being over-cautious and obsessed with all sorts of potential dangers.

Yet, that absolutely ugly contraption that appears like a giant zit on the face of an otherwise lovely garden, is happily welcomed. I’m talking about the trampoline. The single major cause of countless playground related visits to the emergency rooms all across the country. If one must have such an eyesore to satisfy the precious heirs, then it behooves the extra effort to sink it flush with the ground. If I sound uncharacteristically harsh, so be it. I feel rather strongly about it.
As I prepare to get off my soap box, I’ll sum up with a suggestion – lets create gardens that work for all generations. All elements of play should be harmonious with the surroundings. This is a space that offers itself unstintingly to the curious, the creative, the engaged, the restless, the mindful, the observant and most significantly, the universal inner child.
I’m sharing below some photos I took of a truly charming public garden for children that I visited in Andover MA last month. It combines the elements of instruction and delight quite well. Importantly, it does not talk down to the children. That should be something for us all to keep in mind as we manage our own spaces and lives.

The Children's Garden at West Parish, Andover, MA

The Children’s Garden at West Parish, Andover, MA


Children's garden 2
Children's garden 3
Children's garden 4
Children's garden 5
Children's garden 6
Children's garden 7