Frantic Festive Fever Frenzy

Posted on December 10, 2013 by shobha

December can be peculiar. It is seemingly about the holidays and the happy preparations for the celebrations but in reality, the month is fraught with stress and anxiety. The long, dark hours, the expectations, presents, decorations, cards, parties, weight worries, recitals, year end project completions, performance reviews, tips, cooking, teacher gifts, charitable giving, travel obligations/house guests, weather related problems … its so easy to be overwhelmed. Thankfully, the garden is not clamoring for attention. It is safely tucked in for the season.

Stop! Take a deep breath. Ask yourself why you have allowed yourself to get to this point. Yes, I said ‘allowed yourself’. Has the garden taught you nothing? The life lessons imparted all through the seasons? Permit me to remind you. Get yourself something warm and soothing to drink and read on.

The pact you make with Nature when you start the process of taming it to create your garden, involves:
Do No Harm – That holds for both garden and gardener. So, take on only that which is good for both. Organic, environmentally sound, Fair Trade, low carbon footprints are key words here. And, don’t take on more than you can handle. You’ll only make yourself sick and unhappy.
Think It Through – Don’t be impulsive, follow current trends or emulate others as you’ll have regrets. Just the way you do ( you do don’t you?) your homework before selecting and planting a tree, you must apply that same process to everything else.
Keep It Simple – Take on only what you can do for sure. Be realistic. Simple is clean, pure and elegant. Leave the bows, swags and fireworks to others.
Get Organized – By planning properly, a lot more will get accomplished and you would have allocated time to enjoy the season. Recall those times when the weeding and watering got done and you still had the time to read in the hammock amidst the hum of bees and chattering of finches. Channel that into your frenetic life.
Be True To Yourself – express your true self. Your taste, preferences and style are what makes you YOU. You plant the flowers and vegetables you like, you choose colors that sing to you, you got rid of whatever you didn’t like. Well, apply that to your life in general. You don’t have to throw a party, get a tree, send out cards and such. The party can wait for a time when there is less to do. Instead of a tree, promise that expense to a charity, send out thoughtful notes all through the year. Trust me, the people who really matter will understand and appreciate. Make no apologies for who or how you are. If you accept yourself, others will too.
Let It Go – Free yourself of your own and other people’s expectations. Reread Be True To Yourself above. Keep in kind that you do not have control over very much. So why burden yourself with what is beyond you?
Be Bold – Get out of that comfort zone and try something you’ve always wanted to do but were too hesitant/ shy/afraid to do. Think about how liberating it was when you ripped up the formal flower beds and made a cottage garden instead. Others were horrified but the slightly messy, blowsy look makes you endlessly happy. Whatever doesn’t work out can be remedied, redone, repaired or removed. The world will not end. Actually, the world will not notice.
Pay It Forward – You plant trees for future generations, use organic methods so all living things are safe, sow heirloom seeds so diversity and history are respected. Similarly, when giving gifts think about each individual and give them something that also benefits a larger population – membership to museums and botanical gardens, subscriptions to concerts, gift certificates to local nurseries and other local businesses. Low on money? There is no shame in that. Offer services like a home-cooked meal in January, pet/baby-sitting, helping with weeding in the spring, teaching a skill, fixing a problem like a leaky faucet or creaky door.
Be In The Moment – It is all you really have. Show up for it. Smell the rose when it blooms. Pick and savor the peach when it is ripe and warm from the embrace of the sun. Watch the fireflies every night of summer. This present moment will not come back. Live it well and it will nourish you forever. No regrets. You reap only what you sow.

Now, tell me, are you ready to change your mind about this holiday season? Exhale. Tone it down. Simplify. Own it. End this year on your own terms.

P.S. Give thanks to the garden for its constant guidance and solace.

(c) 2013 Shobha Vanchiswar

Thanksgiving In The Garden

Posted on November 26, 2013 by shobha

Today
I give thanks
for being just as I am.
Nothing more
Nothing less.

My favorite holiday is less than two days away. I do so enjoy the connectedness we all share for this special event. All across these United States, as one people, preparations are underway. While some travel to the bosom of family and dear friends, others get ready to receive them. Old family recipes resurrected, new variations added on, shopping lists filled at markets, kitchens emanating sounds and aromas of festivities to come. The anticipation and excitement in the air is palpable.

It is about now, before the crowd gathers and cooking is seriously in progress, that I take some time to fully acknowledge the spirit of the holiday. To review the past year and take note of the myriad blessings in my life. I do this in my most sacred of places – the garden. This year, there is a storm coming our way. Much disruption is being forecast and I’m inclined to conclude that in the stress of dealing with the complications, one will be less inclined to think about such metaphysical things like gratitude and convivial familial connections.

As I slowly wend my way around sleeping flower beds and leafless shrubs, I give thanks to my wisest and kindest of all teachers. This space that is my garden. I’m glad for every plant and creature I have encountered through the year. The beautiful and productive as well as the nasty and destructive. For without the latter, I wouldn’t know to appreciate the former. This year has had many challenges for me personally but the garden provided me solace. The chores gave me purpose and distraction while much joy was found in its beauty and bounty. I’m thankful for having this one place where nothing is expected of me and I’m accepted just as I am. Forgiveness and second chances abound here.All through the year, I have been guided to be present in the moment. To face whatever comes with an open mind and heart. To accept what is and not look to what is not. To find meaning and purpose in every situation. I have been given many reasons to feel proud and successful while at the same time, the garden has, on many occasion, gently pushed down my ego and put me in my place. I’m all the better for the hard lessons.

In the end, what truly matters are those everyday moments. The dailiness of life is the true gift. Big happenings, good or bad can derail a person but the normal and the routine offer immeasurable comfort and peace. So, come Thanksgiving Thursday, I’m deeply thankful for the expected and the usual. The sunshine and the rain.The ritualistic meals, the familiar settings, the dearest people and the immense love I have for them all.

I wish each of you a beautiful, peaceful and happy Thanksgiving.
I’m sharing some end of season images of the garden’s bounty:

Romano cauliflower

Last of the Rainbow Swiss chard.

Roses and rose hips.

Sedum Autumn Joy at the end of the season.

Report card

Posted on November 19, 2013 by shobha

We are judged on almost everything we do in life. Think about it. You bake something and a verdict is passed. You paint, write, sing, sculpt, build, invent, teach, sell or parent and there is a panel that is on the ready to make a pronouncement. Our culture enjoys a certain comfort in deeming things pass/fail, right/wrong, beautiful/ugly, amateur/professional, successful/unsuccessful, crude/sophisticated. This makes being true to oneself rather difficult.

We are afraid to call ourselves an artist if we have not shown in an exhibit or a writer if a book has never been published. You might be an engineer with the correct schooling and degrees but you can be a sculptor as well. Even if what you sculpt is done at night and your art is seen only inside your home. But how hesitant we are to declare it in public! Too timid to question the system that denies one one’s many faceted, undeniably special persona.

Who are these social pundits and what exactly are their qualifications to be so judgmental? A certain degree of parameters make sense. For instance, rules of the road are very relevant. The same goes for how we conduct ourselves in society. They serve as guidelines, standard markers that make civilization thrive. One learns how to reach higher and do better. Peaceful, cooperative societies must have general rules and acceptable limits. This works fine but all too often, we are left somewhat paralyzed by fear of censure in our day to day lives. Because of this, we follow the pack and surrender our individuality. Look around. Our dress, our literature and cinema, our music, the architecture and appearance of residential streets, cars, hairstyles, even our food choices are all dictated by trends set mostly by those who in truth, know no better than anybody else.

We listen to the words of celebrities as though they are the modern day Oracle or are the select few in custody of the Rosetta Stone of Everything. If a person is indeed an expert or legitimate authority, then, they are obligated to teach, help the rest of us. Not deride, mock or judge. Most of us never pause to question if any of this feels right or is suitable at all. To follow our own ideas and thoughts is to be bold and courageous. If you are not breaking the law or harming anybody, then take a big, deep breath and be bold and courageous. Be you.

The easiest place to express yourself is the garden. Society regards the garden like an afterthought. Unless your front garden is a complete jungle or radically different, no one will notice or care. It is as though to spend time gardening means we are not pursuing more important, pressing causes. And if you don’t garden, well who will chide you because after all “who has the time?”.

On the one hand, it is universally accepted that it is vital to have access to nature and we tend to buy as large a property as possible. But on the other, not enough is done to acknowledge and appreciate those who create and care for such green spaces. We can use this attitude to advantage!

Typically, I see it as a means to create whatever garden I like. True, going berserk and making a thirty foot waterfall on a standard suburban plot would be asking for complaints from neighbors and zoning/architectural review boards. But in general, a great deal of leeway exists. Go with your heart and abilities. Convert the whole garden into a vegetable plot. Make it a paradise of peonies. Fill it with all your favorite plants. Gaudy colors, all white beds, minimalist modern, serious native plant collections – go for it. As long as you adhere to what your geographical zone will allow to grow and you do no harm. The latter tenet means not harming people, animals or the environment. Honor the earth. Plain and simple.

So what if none of the neighbors grow vegetables in the front of the house. If that is the most suitable location for a potager, then by all means make the most productive, most beautiful vegetable garden there. Long for a riot of roses? Make it happen! Personally, I’d much rather see a joyous melange of flowers favored by the owner’s unique style than yet another ho-hum, run of the mill suburban property. After all, where is the individual personality of the owner to be found?

The thing is, in gardening, there is no pass or fail. Everything is a learning experience. Your garden is one big open air classroom. Nature is the teacher – she gives no tests, no grades and does not single you out for punishment. Your own talents and interests are nurtured. You join this school at any age, work at your own pace, drop out if you need to, return after a hiatus. Mistakes are permitted! You get rewarded for just showing up. All along, you discover your strengths, overcome difficulties and get empowered for what lies outside the garden walls. You learn to be yourself. No pressure other than what you put on yourself. As it should be. Before long, you will step out of the boundaries of the garden and venture into other realms to make your own personal mark.

If you are hesitant to express your style or state your opinion lest you are chided, get yourself to the garden. Learn, grow strong. You endeavor to garden, so you are a Gardener. The garden gives out no report cards.

Enjoy these images of unique spaces. Be empowered!

(c) 2013 Shobha Vanchiswar

Separation Anxiety

Posted on November 12, 2013 by shobha

It happens every year at this time. The bittersweet end of the growing season. The busy pace of getting garden chores done is mirrored only by that frenzy in spring. With a difference. While the spring is fueled by the eager anticipation of flowers in bloom, potagers burgeoning with produce and long days spent in the embrace of the sun, at this time, there is a distinct feeling of reluctance and longing.

Putting the garden to bed is itself quite satisfying. A parental gesture of safeguarding the garden so it gets through the long night of winter without incident. But, the heart is heavy as we brace ourselves for whatever the cold months portend. Anxiety surfaces as the shadows lengthen. As children of the sun, it is but natural to feel sad as we move farther from it. Forced to spend more time indoors, deprived of natural light and fresh air is a recipe for low spirits and gloomy temperament. Our transition from outside to in, is never easy. Separation of garden and gardener is sorrowful. But there is a silver lining to this icy, dark cloud. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

As a gardener, I’m nothing without hope. Optimism is my calling card. I’ve come to not only accept that winter must be got through but, I appreciate what it does. The entire cold season, as long as it is, is a period of grace for the garden and myself. It is when we can rest, restore and recuperate after three seasons of hard work. Now is the time to replenish ourselves. The breathing space.

While the garden is in deep slumber, I take my own rest of sorts. Turning my attention to tasks that were neglected in the whirlwind of garden chores, I catch up with paperwork, organizing the house and pursuing creative passions that often get short shrifted in the warm months. Books that begged to be read are now indulged. Conversations with friends and family assume a more relaxed, intimate nature. I use this luxury of time to get my house and myself in order. With the new year, my calender is laid out with not only garden chores but doctor’s appointments, concerts and plays, museum visits, vacation dates, birthdays and anniversaries. If it is on the calender, it stands a very good chance of getting done/celebrated. I even mark off space for all of my creative efforts which require proper time and attention. In essence, these winter months are given to ensuring that balance is maintained.

Cozy by the fireplace, I plan the garden of my dreams where no mistakes are ever made. Accidents are a non-occurrence, chores always get done on time and without undue effort and, the plants do exactly as I’ve intended. Naturally, this garden looks fabulous all the time. I design, draw lists, order what is needed and such preparation sustains me all through the winter. But even before this, the groundwork for my positive outlook is laid out in fall. When I plant hundreds of spring blooming bulbs, Each of these plump, brown packages is full of promise and reassurance. Insisting on enduring the absolute cold of winter, they say with unequivocal certainty that the time of sunshine and honeybees will return. All in its own time.

After this respite, both garden and gardener are ready, energized and looking forward. The sap is flowing and we start all over again.

Attitude is everything. Sleep garden sleep.

The side path in slumber.

The path reawakened in early spring.

The herb and chekerboard gardens in winter

Early spring

Spring in the ‘meadow’.

Early daffodils

F. meleagris

Apple blossoms

Conquering The Darkness

Posted on November 5, 2013 by shobha

Every year, when we turn back the clock, I go into a funk. Reduced hours of light affect me and cosequently, affect all who must live with me. Given that these dark days extend to months, I feel more than a little sorry for those who are treated to my cranky, disagreeable moods. Even I cannot stand myself at times. So I’ve learned to prepare for what is ahead. After all, if what cannot be avoided must be endured, I can at the very least make the experience pleasantly bearable. One day at a time.

Ideally, one would benefit from a winter-long sojourn to warm, sunny locales. But that, alas, is not my lot. I make do with what is at hand and what is possible. Mind you, I’m well aware that winter can have a very severe, debilitating effect on certain people. Medical intervention is necessary. Seasonal Affective Disorder is nothing to trivialize. For my purpose however, the actions I mention here suit me well.

As we move indoors for the next five months or so, I get started on my ‘Keep Myself Sane’ plan. Not surprisingly, I bring the garden indoors. I’m not just talking house plants. Two weeks ago, I started paperwhites in a big way. Almost every room has been graced with them. At this time, they are blooming charmingly and giving me a sense of the same joy that I experience in spring. Gradually, amaryllis will begin to bloom and later in January, the bulbs that had been occupying some prime real estate in the refrigerator will be forced. Thus, all winter long I will be surrounded by spring flowering bulbs.

In addition, I have assorted Wardian cases simulating mini-gardens to keep me company. A well appointed one of these never fails to put me in a good mood. ( Stay tuned for an article on terrariums and Wardian cases in the near future!). I’m also fortunate to have a modest-sized greenhouse and so, I escape to these forms of gardening quite willingly.It is a bit of cheating because there is none of the typical hardwork. Instead, with very little effort, all the joys of a garden are provided – greenery, flowers, fragrance. Gardners get unhappy if there is no where to garden.

Next, I address that tricky bit of creating more light. Replacing certain light bulbs with brighter ones makes a big difference. Particularly in spaces used for work, creative pursuits and, cooking. I also stock up on candles galore. A room lit with lots of candles instantly gives the impression that a celebration is underway. Get the fireplace(s) going and I’m all set. With cozy in mind, I have deliciously warm, elegant throws at every spot one might settle in for a good read, chat or nap.

Continuing in my attempt to stave off the seasonal blues, I approach the next sense that must be satisfied. Okay, fooled. And that, is the influence on the nose. Fragrant candles that gently evoke visions of the beach or meadows are a boon. Likewise, citrus fruits scent the air nicely and transport me to sun-kissed orange groves. When the jasmine in the greenhouse starts blooming, it gets moved to the bedroom to hopefully guide me into dreams of nights in India where the air hangs heavy with such perfume.

In general, I’m concious about minimizing the carbon-foorprint of the foods I buy. But sometimes, my well-being takes priority and I permit myself to indulge in a crisp guava, a juicy mango, sweet papaya, fresh pineapple or, pretty cactus pear ( the last makes for a delicious sorbet or sauce) just so I can make-believe I’m in some tropical paradise.

This is not to say I don’t absolutely enjoy the hearty winter stews and other cold weather tasties. But occasionally, there is the desire to transport myself to sunny, warmer climes. Time and finances permitting, I try to fit in a brief escape to exactly such a place. Even a few days can do wonders to one who is miserable in the short, dark days of these parts. In a pinch, take a trip to a local nursery and bask amidst the plants in their greenhouses. Even better, visit the conservatories in botanical gardens. The lush, tropical plants, the warm, humid air and suddenly you are in a whole different world.

The benefits of time spent outdoors are of course not to be undermined. A brisk walk has often been just the ticket to get me energized both physically and mentally. I do so adore the beautiful, glittery winter landscapes. However, all too often I find myself lapsing into a distinct state of laziness. To get up from the comfy couch, put on layers and layers of clothes, don those winter boots, step into biting cold air …. can be rather unappealing right? But oh! The awfulness of wallowing in a condition of depressed spirits and uncreative mind is much, much worse. And so a regular walk becomes a habit.

Finally, seed and plant catalogs that begin to fill mail boxes from the fall onwards are set aside for perusal in the deep of winter. Just when one begins to despair that the freezing weather will never end, the catalogs provide hope. They are the fodder that feeds the heart with dreams of future gardens. To envision all sorts of horticultural possibilities is wildly exciting and endlessly pursued. The pulse quickens, the imagination soars, eyes shine and designs are drawn, orders are placed as the soul is awoken to look ahead with optimism. With the gradual lengthening of days, the promise of spring is made good.

The sun will once again triumph and banish the long night. The demons will be silenced, fears will be overcome as the dark spaces are made visible. Light shall settle on earth’s shoulders and spring will be reborn. I believe with all my heart.

Lead Kindly Light, Amidst The Encircling Gloom …. – John Henry Newman 1833.

Paperwhites

Inside the greenhouse

Fresh flowers bring cheer

Amaryllis in bud

Orchids bloom in a friend’s greenhouse

Camillia – another winter bloomer

The herb garden in winter

Is The Customer Always Right?

Posted on October 22, 2013 by shobha

Some weeks ago, Bloomingdales announced that they were taking a hard line on the return of their clothing. Because some folk tend to wear the clothes and then return for a refund, the store has decided to attach a device to the garments that would preclude that possibility. Any returned merchandise must have the device intact and attached. The measure should curb an $ 8.8 billion fraud bill! This is a sad commentary on the moral standards of a section of our society.

To make matters worse, the wrong doing is not restricted to clothing. Plant nurseries are confronted with a similar dilemma. People return plants for a variety of reasons. The plants are kept for some days and then brought back because “they are not looking good”/ “ I changed my mind”/ “my spouse does not like these”/ “ I found a color I liked better at another place” and so on. How the plants were cared for in the interim is uncertain. Were they watered, given sun/shade, kept healthy, are factors not determined. Flowering plants have on occasion, been used for an outdoor event and then returned because “it didn’t work out”. This last one is exactly the same as the Bloomingdales problem. To use plants to “stage” a property for a showing and then return them is not unheard of.

People come a year after purchasing a plant wanting their money back because the item did not survive the winter. No mention of the possibility that perhaps they themselves could have done something wrong. Wrong plant for the site. Wrong conditions. And some times sheer bad luck from a nasty winter which knocked off plants all over the region.

There is of course, the possibility that the plant purchased might have been sick or diseased. But for the most part, that would have been made visible quite early. On the chance that this was not the case, the nursery would have eventually been notified by other buyers or the growers themselves when the problem surfaced. In which case, refunds would be appropriate. However, this is not the usual situation. Most times, people want to blame the nursery for all horticultural failures.

Some nurseries offer a limited warranty. It probably helps in customer relations. But what is the responsibility of the buyer? Do we not have to act in good faith? How do we dare demand good service, excellent quality and fair prices if we don’t do our part in adhering to the honor system?

Plants are living creatures and by that very nature, there are simply too many variables in play. Reputable nurseries do their best to offer the best. The customer then must do his/her best as well. Do the research, choose wisely, plant correctly, care for the plants diligently. Don’t abuse the system. If the plant was mislabeled or the flowers turn out to be a far cry from the desired color, then by all means ask for a replacement but lets not make others pay for one’s own mistakes or failings.

I know of no nursery tycoon. This is not the business that generates wealth. Nurserymen take on this work because they love it. Typically, nurseries also provide knowledgeable staff from whom one can learn a great deal. When a customer demands their money back and succeeds, it is mostly because the nursery has little choice. They cannot prove where the fault lies and so they swallow the cost. Returned plants are hardly ever in a state of robust health – hence the resale of such items is low.
The Bloomingdales black tag cannot be used here. Instead, everybody will have to pay the price for the bad behavior of a small population.The cumulative effect of such a practice is far reaching.It hurts the growers, the nurseries, the customers. Prices will go up, selections will be smaller and less varied, and in the long term, there will be fewer people dedicated to the promotion of quality, interesting plants.

On my part, I’m fully aware of how often I have made mistakes by making wrong purchases or stubbornly planting in inappropriate places or delaying the planting for too long. Worse, I’m guilty of neglecting to give the required care. I take full ownership and there is no blame to pass on. On the occasion, when an order of bulbs bloomed to exhibit the color or type that had not been selected, the supplier has graciously given a refund or credit. The same for plants that were incorrectly advertised. In general though, the fault is mine. I do recall that once, although a batch of tulips was the wrong color, it actually looked spectacular. When visitors congratulated me for my keen selection, I took full credit.

Recently, at my local nursery, I heard a neighbor demand a refund for a shrub that had died. It had cost about $ 20.00, was purchased a year ago which included a harsh winter and a summer with little rain, been moved three times in the garden and had some construction work done very close to it. Really? Is this what we have come to? I’m still cringing.

A batch of freshly delivered bulbs

New purchases await

At the nursery

Beyond The Season

Posted on October 8, 2013 by shobha

When Does Fall …

When does fall
feel like fall?
When does one stop
to enjoy the ball?

Swirling confetti
Brilliant fireworks
Who pauses to see
the season’s perks?

Rushing to clean up
erasing the summer
Readying for winter
planning next year

What would happen
if we could just stay
amidst the leaf piles
in endless play?

The arrival of the holidays invariably catches me somewhat unprepared and taken aback. There is so much going on in the autumn that the thought of decorating, getting presents, planning meals and so on gets overwhelming. So the fall back ( no pun intended) is to keep it low key. That would be fine except, too often, I still fail to meet my own expectations. It is not as though I’m setting the bar too high – my plans are simple but even simple needs forethought. This year, I aim to do better.

Whilst going about the required chores in the fall garden, I’m preparing for the holidays as well.
In collecting seeds from plants, I make packets of them to give as gifts. The seeds go into pretty envelopes that are clearly labeled with all the relevant information. Additionally, I’ll attach a photo of the plant and mention good companion plants. Vegetable seeds will be accompanied with a favorite recipe.

With boxwood blight looming large, one must start considering planting alternatives. So when I purchase shrub honeysuckle or euonymus to experiment in my garden, I pick up some extras to give to a friend who is worried about her boxwoods. Lavender and catmint are other options – I’ll root cuttings from my garden and extras from those that thrive will also be presented to fellow gardeners.

Pruning is a chore that turns up some good staking material. A bundle of sturdy, natural stakes will always be much appreciated by any gardener.

The harvest of fruits, vegetables and herbs results in jams, jellies, sauces, chutneys, pickles, cordials and liqueurs. Who wouldn’t want to receive some of these? Additionally, herein are very handy staples for a soirée. Combine with crudités, artisanal cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, crackers and bread and voila! A cocktail party is in progress.

Redoing or reworking a part of the garden at this time is something to give myself and/or the spouse. Be it relaying the stones on the terrace, replanting a bed or repainting all the lawn furniture, getting it done now will give some immediate peace of mind and when spring arrives, I’ll be all set to enjoy the ‘gift’.

In that same vein, it is prudent to get the trees on the property checked out by an expert. Deal with the dead or diseased limbs/trees. Likewise, take care of trees that are at risk or pose a threat in case of storms. This single factor could save the huge expense and heartache of addressing possible damage. Its a gift one gives to oneself and loved ones. Except of course, some loved ones won’t know to value it!

During the process of clean up, I collect fallen nests, feathers, colorful leaves, berries on branches, pine cones and acorns, seed pods, vines, flowers such as hydrangea that keep their form when dry, evergreens and other interesting natural material. These are all that I will need to decorate the house for Thanksgiving and even Christmas. Simple and natural. And compostable!

Hundreds of bulbs will soon be planted in the garden. Some of them go into the refrigerator to be forced in the dead of winter. A forced hyacinth or crocus will be certain to banish the winter blues from the hearts of a few cherished friends.

Finally, a gift to Nature. A general clean up and tidying is good but I leave as is an area not easily observed. Messy and overgrown. This will provide a habitat for wildlife. shelter during winter storms as well as a breeding spot in spring. Birds, toads and numerous insects that are useful will be very grateful.

There you have it. I’m already calmer. Are you?

Milkweed seedpod

Rose hips to bring indoors

Pine cones for decorating

Grapevine prunings and dried hydrangea adorn an autumn table

Someone who needs protection in winter

After a storm

More storm damage

Some of the bulbs to plant

Forced hyacinth

Lavender 'wand' to scent rooms and closets

Lavender ‘wands’ to scent rooms and closets

This Annual Dusk

Posted on September 24, 2013 by shobha

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

Bulbs awaiting

Figs awaiting!

Glorious autumnal colors. At NYBG.

Forever Summer

Posted on September 10, 2013 by shobha

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

Asters

Apples for the picking

Baptisia seed pods

Summer bounty at the market

Heritage rose

Concord grape harvest

Grape jam galore!

Through The Eyes Of Children

Posted on September 3, 2013 by shobha

(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

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 aerie

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

Seeds of Design

by Shobha Vanchiswar

Category Archives: Deep thoughts

Frantic Festive Fever Frenzy

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Thanksgiving In The Garden

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Report card

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Separation Anxiety

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Conquering The Darkness

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Is The Customer Always Right?

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Beyond The Season

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This Annual Dusk

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Forever Summer

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Through The Eyes Of Children

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