Category Archives: Deep thoughts

Summer Days

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After that horrendous heatwave earlier this month followed by the unhealthy impact of the wildfires in Canada plus last week’s deluge, we’ve finally been given some fine summer weather. I’m taking full advantage of it by first, limiting garden chores to the strictly necessary ( weeding, watering pots as needed and keeping the hummingbird feeders clean and full) and secondly, prioritizing summer pleasures like reading as many hours as I want to, indulging in frequent dips in the lake/pool/ocean, taking long walks in the early morning when its just me and the birds greeting the sun, catching up with friends I haven’t seen or spoken to in a while, endlessly watching feathered friends in the garden and, eating ice-cream as often as possible. Guilt-free.

The slowing down of the pace of living feels to me like the ultimate luxury. It brings about an awareness of ones surroundings that I can only describe as delicious. As though each of the senses is awakened anew simply by giving oneself the time and space to pay attention. I think that’s exactly why we have summer – an annual reset of mind, body and soul to live with intent and full out joy. Summer asks of us to live out loud and without reservation. To be fully present and engaged in the moment.

Much like the garden where the plants are growing with abandon, the birds and insects plundering the spoils of the season, I am throwing caution to the wind and embracing this summer on my own terms.

Savoring it slowly and gratefully.

My summer so far –

Sunrise
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(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Gardening Hearts Beat Alike

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Unsurprisingly, everywhere I go, I look for signs of gardening well beyond the obvious public gardens. Without exception, how and what people do in new-to-me places and countries tells me how we are more alike than unalike. Our cultures, languages, foods and histories might be vastly different but when it comes to how we connect to the natural world, we are the same. The gardens we make are both unique and universal at the same time.

I particularly appreciate the seemingly small but hugely endearing efforts at ‘greening’ up whatever space one has. Human beings need nature and so we seek to fulfill that necessity by nurturing plants wherever we find ourselves. There is something deeply sacred about this connection.

During my recent travels, by sheer chance I came upon a street garden in Marseilles, France that neighbors made during the months of Covid lockdown. I got to meet the man who started this project – he was watering some pots when I wandered into this verdant street and I struck up a conversation with him. Who knew this was his brain child! Damien Berthier explained that all he had wanted to do, in some small way, was give his neighbors something comforting and life affirming during those challenging weeks. The neighbors took it from there -each adding his/her touch to the mix. And it has kept going ever since. It is as eclectic and joyous a garden as any I’ve seen.

In both Tangier and Chefchaouen (the Blue City), Morocco I was seduced by so many ‘front gardens’ adorning the crowded facades of homes by way of free standing pots, window-boxes and walls displaying simple but effective plant selections. I couldn’t stop taking pictures!

Even the lavender and sunflower fields around towns in Provence, France lend a pastoral beauty that commuters, walkers and holidaymakers could enjoy. I was fortunate to watch a farmer harvesting lavender, the fragrance of which permeated the air around the vicinity for quite a while. Heavenly.

The man was simply going about his work but what a gift he was offering to his town in doing so.

Gardens bring people together. Gardeners make that happen.

Do enjoy this sampling of photos –

IFrom Morocco –

From France –

With Damien Berthier
Street garden Marseille
Street garden
Street garden
Street Garden
Lavender fields
Lavender
Harvesting lavender
Sunflowers

(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Homecoming

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My eagerness in going away on vacation is book-ended by feelings of concern and frenzied days of putting house and garden to order. Before the great escape, I’m busy making sure the house is clean and tidy, refrigerator cleaned out, beds stripped and made anew, laundry done, folded and put away nicely, mail put on hold, bills/subscriptions dealt with etc., The list is long.

In the garden I harvest, weed, feed, trim, primp, prop up as well sternly lecture the plants on behaving properly in my absence. What? You don’t talk to your plants? Why ever not? They’re a captive audience!

Now, I do all these things because I really like returning to a home that is clean and welcoming and, a garden that hasn’t mutinied whilst their captain was on leave. I invariably return with some trepidation as I know the weeds will take the opportunity to multiply and spread with abandon. They sense when I’m going away and gleefully plot their proliferation. Nasty thugs.

Well, this time I worked extra hard ahead of my trip. I diligently weeded every day for the 2 weeks leading up, cut back the summer blooming plants by 1/3 their height, deadheaded meticulously, staked anything that could flop or keel over, set up a watering system with a moisture sensor so it wouldn’t turn on if it had rained and generally got the garden in as good a shape as I possibly could.

All that hard work definitely paid off. The plants all look good and healthy. There’s a riot of hot summer colors – red, orange and pink. And while the weeds did make merry, they did not overtake the garden by any measure. I returned this past Saturday and I’ve already got half the garden weeded, neatened up some plants with a few snips of the secateurs, re-positioned the pots I’d moved together so they could be watered by the single system and given said pots a healthy helping of compost. Things are looking fine even if I say so myself.

It’s gratifying to watch the hummingbirds descend upon the feeders in the early hours of the day. There have been many rabbit sightings as well – cute they may be but I’m staying vigilant on the diminutive marauders. Keeping track of the flight paths traced by the insect life as they go from one type of flower to another is fascinating – they hover and linger, visit practically every flower on one plant, move on to a different plant, then retrace their way back and eventually take off to see what’s doing elsewhere in the neighborhood. One swallowtail butterfly spent almost an hour on a particular stand of Echinacea and completely ignored the one just 2 feet away.

It’s impossible to be bored in nature.

It was a lovely vacation. And it’s been an equally lovely homecoming.

(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Points Of View

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My garden is a visual expression of my aesthetic sensibilities and deep commitment to sustainability, conservation and ecology. Creating a space that is beautiful, bountiful and life affirming is the underlying principle that keeps me motivated. Getting to know my garden is getting to know me.

Because it’s so personal, I tend to view my garden from only my singular perspective. Therefore, it’s always interesting, often eye opening to look at what I know intimately through another person’s eyes. I love such opportunities. So last week, I was in a heightened state of excitement when I once again welcomed a group of brilliant watercolor artists from New York City. This art workshop has become an annual tradition and several of those attending are my longtime fellow artist friends. Regardless of whether they are seeing the garden for the first or the umpteenth time, it always feels new to everyone – because a garden is never static. How the garden appears depends on the weather, the light, bloom time and of course, what has changed since the previous year(s).

Everyone starts out exploring the garden and I enjoy their observations, questions, pronouncements and proclamations. Most of them are non-gardeners, card carrying city slickers but all are terrific artists, each with their own unique style and experience. What they choose to paint and how they interpret it is mind-blowing to me. Knowing this garden of mine as well as I know myself, it is very hard for me to sit and paint it. Nevertheless I have done several paintings through the years but I’m hardly ever fully satisfied with my efforts. Besides, while I paint I’m constantly thinking my subject needs weeding/trimming/thinning/replacing etc., until I’m overwhelmed by my new to-do list. Not fun at all. Instead, I derive much vicarious pleasure from the viewpoints and efforts of others.

The photos I share below should give you an idea of the diversity of talent, style and distinctive impressions. Enjoy!

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(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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May Be, May Be Not

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The month of May has had an identity crisis. Some days it has been like May is supposed to be – very pleasant, Goldilocks kinda perfect weather and, other days it has blasted us with either high summer heat or early winter cold. Then, it’s given us bone dry days as well as soggy ones. What gives May?

I have continued with weeding and deadheading. Though I’m getting really tired of the bumper crops of garlic mustard and maple seedlings. They are sneaky and quite literally everywhere. In addition, the forget-me-nots and ajuga that have remained in the meadow all these years are now cropping up all over the garden where they have no business to be. I can’t keep up with them!

Meanwhile, in the animal kingdom, this is a year of armies of chipmunks and squirrels marauding the garden. The former live underground and their extensive burrows can cause a fair amount of destruction to the garden. Despite my fervent hopes of the benefit of a bitterly cold winter, the ticks are out in full force. They’ve appeared early and brought reinforcement. How is a gardener supposed to get on with her work of gardening I ask?

On the upside, the peonies, irises, columbines, foxgloves, geraniums, poppies, baptisia, (native )wisteria and comfrey have started blooming. The roses and late season alliums are nipping at their heals. May flowers galore!

The birds have been busy too. Several have already raised their first clutch of babies. I’m not sure if the hummingbirds have returned as yet. In past years they have typically done so by early to mid-May but I haven’t observed any so far. I started putting out their feeders well in time. Cleaning and replenishing regularly. The reduction in the sugar water could be just from evaporation. I’ll remain on lockout. I sure hope they show up – it’s too painful to think otherwise.

That’s gardening isn’t it, full of trials and tribulations. Just like Life.

(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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And The Award For Best Performance Goes To …

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the snowdrops! Emerging from a harsh winter ( I’m aware it’s not done yet!), starved for sightings of new and joyous growth, the clumps of shimmering snowdrops are glorious. I give props to the lemon-drop yellow winter aconites scattered like jewels as well. These ephemerals might be diminutive in stature but their parts are mighty in this moment. There are no small parts in a good garden. While some plants have their shining moments, it does not happen in isolation. A supporting cast is always responsible for it.

A garden at its best is a production of fine actors, great casting, creative design by way of color, texture, form and function, clever scripting that plays out seamlessly through the seasons, a dedicated director, producer and the set design, lighting etc., crews, background actors and stand-ins – a true ensemble presentation. Every element and detail matters equally. Admittedly, the humble gardener wears many hats.

As the gardener, I take my responsibilities very seriously. I want the gardening to be interesting and deliberate in creating something authentic that must take its place in the larger landscape without apology, It cannot overshadow or be overshadowed because it too is but a member of a production at a much grander scale. Just like a brilliant film, play, book, opera, ballet or symphony, I want my garden to entertain, educate, tell a fine story of life, love, loss and laughter. Timeless yet unique. It must speak to all. Then and only then will I know that I have played my part well.

That said, when I’m given praise for my garden looking beautiful, I feel quite the fraud. In the larger scheme of things, I play a small part. My efforts are mostly by the seat of my pants laced liberally with hope. When matters turn out as well or better than envisioned, I’m happily surprised. The garden looks good despite me. I’m beyond grateful for that.

What’s doing in the garden right now –

The new greenhouse
Inside the new greenhouse
Inside the new greenhouse
Gardenia
Orange blossoms
In the living room
In the living room
Witch hazel waiting to be planted
Galanthus and Eranthis playing off each other
Hellebore bud
Eranthis beaming
Snowdrops

(c)2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Property Values

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Our resilience is being tested this winter. Super cold temperatures, a massive snow storm in January, a dangerous 24 hour blizzard that ended yesterday and still more snow expected mid-week. The garden is under about 4 feet of snow with snowdrifts so high that they beckon like hills waiting to be conquered. It all looks quite intimidatingly stunning.

My garden, my constant companion, seems to have gone AWOL. Leaving me quite bereft. It’s just been too long a separation. When I’m not moping around feeling sorry for myself, I’ve made great headway in whipping the house into shape. The excuses I typically make to avoid the big clean out, pare down and organizing projects do not hold up when there’s no demand for my attention in the garden. Having had the kitchen completely renovated this past Fall and added a small lean-to greenhouse, I’ve been more motivated to tackle the other spaces. From attic to basement, there’s been extensive purging, culling, simplifying and organizing. In working through the tasks, I’ve been made aware of the elements that are considered “property enhancing”. The stuff that adds value to the property – keep in mind this matters only when one is going to sell the house. I am not selling but that hasn’t stopped folks from bringing it to my attention. Frankly, my focus has been on making the home beautiful, functional, efficient and comfortable and more suited to how we live now. The cost of a property is not the same as its value.

However, it’s got me to consider how we add value to the property with our gardens. At a surface level, a garden that is pretty (stunning even) is a bonus. But, if it is perceived as high maintenance or catering to a very specific trend, then the price of the property is not raised. Oftentimes, the opposite can be true. Again, we cannot, must not create gardens with resale in mind. After all, gardens are impermanent and can evolve and/or change quickly. A new gardener can transform it any which way they want.

What merits we bring to the garden is what we ourselves value in our lives. Clean air, clean water, vegetation and wildlife that inherently belong to the area thriving and supporting each other, demand gardening practices that create a healthy, bio-diverse environment for human and non-human life, a space for children to explore, learn and play ( ditto for adults!). A garden where our love of land and life is apparent, a space so joyful that it raises our spirits, so fruitful that it nourishes our bodies and, most importantly, prepares us to be resilient in this time of climate change and unpredictable conditions. In being so, it demonstrates clearly to the next custodian that this space is one to cherish, protect and enjoy. And they can as well pass it on to their successor.

That is how we add true value to our properties.

Images of the garden smothered in snow book-ended by the tulips warming my heart –

(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Slow Gardening

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There’s an upside to the brutal winter we’re experiencing. With the snow sitting heavy and the winds blowing the temperatures even lower, I am compelled to be measured with my to-do activities. This forced restraint has given me the luxury of time. Time to reflect. Time to observe. Time to consciously plan. We have become so used to fast-forward living that even in gardening the demand for haste and instant gratification has pervaded. I have all too often caught myself rushing through chores, getting impatient and wanting things to happen quickly. This, despite my resolve to be more present, patient. Like a majority of us, I keep losing my way on the true path to mindfulness.

This winter has firmly sat me down, removed all opportunity to make haste and instead, suggested that I take the opportunity to examine not just my gardening life but life in general. And so I have complied. I’ve been giving much thought to what I value and how I want to move forward in alignment with those values. To that end, I know definitively that I want to be fully present to the many opportunities that come my way. They aren’t necessarily new ones; they exist already. But what is required is my full attention with whatever project/task I undertake. No multi-tasking, no short cuts. I want to savor the process. It really is about taking in the scenery while moving towards the destination.

I remember an expression I came across in a book on Buddhist philosophy. I wish I could remember the title. But the line that has stayed with me is – ‘wash the dishes to wash the dishes’. What that meant was to be completely engaged with whatever one was doing. In this case, to pay mind to the temperature of the water, the smell of the detergent, the soap suds, to consider the food held by the dishes, the pleasure of eating the food, drying the freshly cleaned plates and pans and putting them away till the next time. The essence was that being present reveals the abundance of simple gifts that we are blessed with all the time. It allows one to live in a state of gratitude.

And so it goes for my time in the garden. To pay mind to all the sights, smells, sounds and feels in the garden. Appreciate the birdsong – it is not simply background music. With time, distinguish the different voices in the chorus. Take in the macro as well as the micro beauty with complete focus. Identify all the aromas that saturate the air. Familiarize oneself with the textures and tastes. Earth provides us so much all day, every day. I want to be here for it all. I don’t want to be on auto-pilot as I plant, weed, prune, water and accomplish all the myriad gardening jobs.

Because, at the end of the day, I need to know that I participated as a member of the natural world. Not as an outsider.

Note: What’s keeping me in bliss indoors –

The Biome
The Biome
Pussywillow
Pussywillow
More orchids
Orchids
Orchids
More orchids
Hyacinths
Hyacinths
Branches of quince

(c)2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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The Gardener’s Covenant

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Gardening is a privilege. Even a luxury if you will. It implies that one has the space, the time and, depending on the type of garden, the money. While gardening is essential to my well-being, it does not escape my mind that it is not true the other way. In truth, more often than not, nature is better off without human intervention. Therefore, the real honor of having, creating and tending a garden is the responsibility. It is the granting of the custodianship of a plot of land so it supports and nurtures plants and all the wildlife that mutually depend upon each other to grow and thrive. That is not an insignificant charge. A garden demands to be taken seriously.

By gardening, I am overseeing not just this habitat but the surrounding ecosystems as well. How I garden matters. My choices impact the health of the environment at large. The plants I select to grow must attract the correct pollinators because after all, that relationship has evolved over millennia. Those plants must take to not just my little plot but the geographical location of which it is a part. That means the weather, the climate, the soil are all critical for optimal growth. It is why we must choose plants native to where we live. The native insect pollinators will show up accordingly to do their jobs. And in this natural environment, all life will flourish. It’s that elementary.

The tools I use – gas, electric or manual mowers, do I blow leaves (again, electric or gas) or rake by hand, hand clippers or electric powered, it all matters. Air and noise pollution are important factors to consider – I do not want to increase either.

Similarly, I choose organic practices and products. I judiciously use water even whilst I collect rain water. Make compost, maintain very little lawn which is full of non-grass plants. All of which requires greater vigilance, in some cases more elbow grease as well but, the overall satisfaction of doing my part to the best of my ability is immeasurable. To view my garden teeming with life and beauty is well worth the effort for sure. And that is the highest privilege and reward of gardening.

A sacred covenant certainly.

Some images from the current Orchid Show at the NYBG. Do go for some horticultural fun and cheer – we certainly need that right now. The final photo shows the orchids that came home with me –

(c) 2026 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Looking Forward

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In 2 days we bid farewell to 2025. In doing so, we look back to the year that was and look ahead to the year we hope it will be. As I examine 2025 from a gardener’s perspective, it is apparent that the garden experienced 2 distinct periods of attention.

For the first 6 months it got by with the bare minimum of care. Thanks to work done the Fall of 2024, the Spring did not suffer too much. The bulbs rallied splendidly and my negligence was somewhat obscured. But neglect I did. Albeit with good reason. The year had started with the untimely loss of 2 dear friends and through the winter my grief distracted me from the routine planning and preparing for the start of the growing season. And then, as I slowly began getting into the rhythm of vernal duties, my beloved father passed away. That hit hard. While I found solace in the garden, doing the necessary work was all I could muster. None of the plans I’d considered months earlier were accomplished. My heart just wasn’t in it.

Then, sometime in July, as I walked around the garden, quite unconsciously, I started making mental notes about things I thought needed improvement, required drastic changes or, more of the same. I returned indoors inspired and excited to get cracking. Suddenly, lists were made, research initiated, plans drawn up – the gardening juices were once again flowing in my veins. Hallelujah.

I’ve spent the rest of the year happily busy and excited in the garden in a manner that reminded me why I love gardening so much. Life in the garden teaches hope, patience, acceptance, understanding, cooperation, coexistence, resilience and forgiveness.

I’m immensely grateful for the lessons.

I am deeply aware of the privilege of having this plot of earth to tend and protect. It is not lost on me that the garden reciprocates in exactly the same way. We encourage each other to keep showing up and we grow together. That’s what life is all about.

Wishing each and everyone of you a very happy, healthy 2026.

(c) 2025 Shobha Vanchiswar

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