Nesting Instincts. Enlightened Gardening #3.

Posted on March 8, 2016 by pgbundil

Awwww! Right?!

Nothing like the sight of babies of any species to turn us into mush. It simply cannot be helped. I never tire of seeing the homes the assorted garden creatures make. Bird nests are of course the most obvious. But solid looking adobe-like bee hives, papery nests of wasps, the large, messily put together squirrel abodes, the perfectly spherical beads of butterfly eggs on leaves of select plant, the cottony casings through which are visible the growing baby spiders are all the result of parents no less dedicated or anxious than we humans. In the role of parent, across genus and species, we can understand each other with total clarity and empathy. Is that not marvelous in itself?

A healthy garden will support all sorts of beneficial creatures. Any gardener worth her salt will do everything in her power to do right by her garden. Which brings us to part 3 of our goal to creating gardens with a conscience. Enlightened Gardening. Given all that we now know about the delicate balance in Nature, our role in impacting the environment and, how each living thing is connected to every other, it becomes imperative and urgent to do our part and do it well.

Imagine entering a garden that is lush with flowers, neatly clipped hedges. Even some clever topiary. Mature trees. Green lawns. Exquisite statuary. Sounds lovely so far? But now notice the quiet. No hum or buzz or shriek or trill or hurried rustle. Dead silence. Begins to feel strange? Then notice the absence of all animal life. No sign of movement but for a passing wind. Nothing flitting, flying, scurrying or hopping. I can already sense my panic. Like a child in an Halloween haunted house. Something bad is about to happen!

And that is what animals bring to our gardens, our world. Not only do they perform basic necessaries like pollination and pest control but they bring in the full spectrum of life itself. We could not function without them. Our spirit would be lost.

So, starting with including indigenous plants, a garden must offer a safe haven for beneficial creatures. Thickets and brambly shrubs for certain types of bird nests and other insects to find shelter and avoid discovery by their predators, Trees for other birds and squirrels. Discrete piles of fallen branches and upturned pots to give safe harbor to toads and garden snakes. Bird houses, nesting boxes, bat houses, bundles of narrow, hollow cylinders of wood or bamboo to encourage bees to take up residence.

Just like humans, other creatures also look for the ‘right’ neighborhoods. If you’ve ever watched birds check out possible nest building sites or houses already in place, you’ll know how carefully they consider the options. Safety, privacy, availability and access to food, light and wind exposure are factors uppermost on every animals mind. Sound familiar?!

It is in the interest of all concerned parties that the gardener does her bit to create the appropriate environments for the valued creatures. If we want them to grace us with their presence, then we must do the needful. Apart from a choice of housing locations, there must be available water and food. A water-bath, a fountain or a pond will suffice. Appropriate and diverse plants for food. Birds are good at scouting out where to get bugs and worms as well. If the garden is organic, then the food and water will be naturally clean. For us and for our fellow residents.
In very early spring, I put up a ‘nesting wreath’. A bunch of grapevine clippings are woven into a circle. To this I loosely attach natural fibres like cotton, jute or wool, feathers, twigs, hair, ribbons of colorful paper, dried flowers and leaves, moss and such. A little reservoir of nest building supplies to encourage the avians.

We provide a healthy place for them to live and raise their babies and they return the favor. No doubt we also provide each other a certain amount of entertainment in the bargain. Isn’t this how life is best lived?

This bluebird house is not in the ideal location but I’m optimistic. It hosted wrens last year. Maybe this year I’ll try to move it to a more appropriate site.

The meadow is a veritable smorgasbord – nectar, worms, other bugs …
At the same time, it is a safe haven for some creatures.

Lawning Ahead. Enlightened Gardening #1

Posted on February 23, 2016 by pgbundil

Winter is entering its final quarter. Are you ready to implement all those garden plans and resolutions? You want to go organic, grow some if not all your veggies, have something in bloom all year long, create a more casual garden to reflect your lifestyle, set up the patio so you can enjoy al fresco meals as often as possible, provide the children with a space that fires their imagination and finally, it all seemed so doable in January but now, you are daunted. Am I right?

Well, you are not alone. It is quite common to feel a bit overwhelmed and not know how or where to start. I get asked about this all the time. Let me reassure anybody who has doubts that all of those goals are not only well within reach but can be achieved this very year. The only thing you need to begin is a deep desire to do what it takes. Make time in your schedule, set aside a minimum of an hour every other day ( every day is better) and a good half day of the weekend ( a whole day is better!). You might not need all that time each day but then, you can use it to just sit and enjoy the garden. I guarantee you will get hooked to puttering in your corner of paradise. It just feels so good!

After hearing from many readers, I’m happy to discuss the several tasks and habits to cultivate (!) that will get you creating the garden you want.

Lets start with the lawn. That ubiquitous green swathe that seems to be the dubious prize of most property owners. A healthy, verdant, well manicured monoculture lawn has become the unofficial American symbol of success. And the struggle to maintain said lawn is the “successful” American way of life. Really America? After all that we now know about the huge cost to the environment and wallet in the upkeep of such a feature, are we still going to continue hankering after this shallow dream? Think about that.

So, if you are keen on such a perfectly superficial and downright wasteful element in your garden, then this article is probably not for you. But, before you leave this site, just pause to ask yourself why you think you must have that pristine lawn and why you are so willing to work so hard to keep it that way. Do you truly believe that such a lawn means you ‘have arrived’? You like having the ‘pure green’ space? You enjoy spending unnecessary amounts of time, money and effort in the pursuit of such a thing? Are you at peace with yourself? Do you believe climate change is not impacted by human activities?
If you said yes to at least three of those questions, then it really is not useful for you to read on. You’re excused.

For the rest of you I have excellent news! Giving up on that perfect lawn is most liberating. You will save time, money, energy ( yours as well as natural earth resources) and at the same time create a healthy, thriving environment.

Take a look at the size of your lawn. Does it need to have those dimension or could you whittle it down? The reduced lawn will make room for more plant beds, shrubs and/or trees which will only enrich the garden. Of course, mowing will also be quicker.

After determining how small ( or big ) a lawn you are happy to live with, banish the thought of it supporting that single crop of grass. The green color that serves as counterpoint to the flowering beds can be from a diverse array of ‘lawn’ plants. Leafy jewels once considered as weeds in the conventional lawn are now free to sparkle. For the most part, this ‘new’ lawn will be a canvas of green but, every now and then, little color will spark it up. Violets, bugleweed, scilla, crocus, clover, forget-me-nots, ajuga, grape hyacinths, wood hyacinths and yes, dandelions. That last one is one of the earliest sources of nectar for bees and hummingbirds. But understandably, one doesn’t want dandelions taking over entirely. Here’s what I do – in my tiny lawn in front, I pull up all dandelion plants in the spring and then only remove the flowers the rest of the growing season. In the ‘meadow’ however, I depend on the dandelions following on the heels of the daffodils and clashing madly with the blues of the forget-me-nots and ajuga flowers. It is such a happy-making sight.
The other lawn flowers are given complete freedom.

Maintaining this type of lawn is easier than you think. I have one word – compost! Compost doubles as fertilizer and mulch. No more chemical fertilizers ever again. By supporting diversity, friendly insects will arrive and they in turn will take care of the pests. No more pesticides ever again. Mulch will restrain true weeds like crabgrass as well as stop the lawn from drying too quickly and hence the frequency and quantity of water consumed will be reduced. Finally, mowing with the blade set at a height of 4 to 6 inches, means you will not have to mow as often. Lawn clippings left on the ‘grass’ after mowing will also mulch and enrich the soil as they decompose into it. Keeping the grass a bit higher will also help in conserving the moisture in the soil. All good!

Consider how this one shift in practice will reduce the volume of chemicals polluting the water-table, save use of water, cut down on fuel use, lower air and noise pollution, create a clean, healthy area for pets and children to play and still look provide the coveted green backdrop.

A 3 inch layer of compost spread when aerating and seeding the lawn in spring will go a long way. I feed this area once again in early summer and finally after leaf raking in the fall. That is it. Imagine how freeing this process is compared to the constant demands of the old, perfect lawn! Are you game to get started?

Whatever will you do with the new found free time?!!

My tiny front lawn – hardly pristine but looks good right?!

The lawn nicely complements the perennial beds on either side.

The meadow!

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The Senescence Scene

Posted on January 12, 2016 by pgbundil

Senescence is generally defined as the condition or process of deterioration with age.
– loss of a cell’s power of division and growth.

Somehow that sounds depressing. As though that is it. It’s all over folks. I doubt any living form, humans included, want their final season expressed that way. I’d like to believe that everything is valued, vital and vibrant till the very end. Yet, each year, as fall makes way for winter, senescence is a word that comes up to describe the state of affairs in the horticultural realm.

I get it. The word in itself is only meant to define a stage in life with scientific accuracy. I myself have used it often. But recently, walking around gardens and woods, I remembered that in cell biology, this definition continues by saying that although a cell in senescence is no longer capable of dividing, it is still alive and metabolically active. Now, doesn’t that instantly cheer you up?

Look around in the garden, at this time in the north-East when nothing seems to be happening and all the deciduous plants have ‘died’ back, there is in reality a wonderful undercurrent at play. The same anticipation suffused tension that is palpable when the baton is being passed in a relay race, is underway in the garden. The lack of snow and mild temperatures this season have extended the time we get to view the beauty of plants in senescence.
First, take an overview of what lies in front of you. There is an almost abstract beauty in the shapes of the plants and trees. The stands of withered plants provide seasonal interest in their sculptural forms and the palette of earth tones is an artist’s delight. Is there really that large a range of shades in the color brown?! Many of the flower heads retain their shapes and impart an ethereal loveliness in their faded hues.

The dried flower heads, curled, wrinkly leaves and mysterious seedpods evoke the imagination. But even more than that, they epitomize life. Yes, life! While most of the organic matter will get broken down by microbes and the elements to enrich the soil that will nurture plant life, the seedpods signal the very birth of life. This is not just the end but also the beginning.

Look closer at those seed-bearing forms. There is such a variety in their representations; each of which, in its exquisite design tells how its seeds are dispersed. Feathery, fluffy, papery packages are primed for air mail. The wind carries them to destinations near and far. Then, there are those that hold appeal for birds by hiding within edible fruit. Distributed after digestion is complete, the seeds set up home when and where conditions are ideal. Some plants, like mothers who cannot let go, drop their seeds right around themselves.
Seedpods are also miniature instruction manuals illustrating sound form-follows-function design. They hint broadly at the interdisciplinary nature of art, physics, engineering and architecture. And at the very heart of it all, is the lesson in biology. The circle of life. There is no beginning without end and no end without beginning.

A tiny seed is enough to remind us of the marvels of nature. It contains all the information it needs for its life purpose and, goes about doing just that. Waiting patiently for the right time and making the most of wherever it finds itself, a seed fulfils that commitment to the very best of its ability. It shows how to live bravely and die just as bravely. There is a strong yet gentle lesson in there for us.

“To see a world in a grain of sand
and heaven in a flower
hold infinity in the palm of your hand
and eternity in an hour”
– William Blake

Lots of images below to celebrate senescence! :

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Celebrate!

Posted on January 5, 2016 by pgbundil

It finally feels like winter. Hallelujah! There is a slight upswing in temperature coming tomorrow but for right now, for today, it is as how it should be. Bitterly cold. And that is reason enough to cheer. Makes me look ahead to the gardening year with some optimism. And that’s the way I like to be.

Winter months are a good time to review what needs doing and how we can improve ourselves. With the holiday trimmings and trappings removed, it seems as though there is a lightness in the air. A sort of cleansing – out with the old, in with the new. Maybe it is simply because of the start of a new year but the act of putting things right after getting rid of the tree and garlands, is incentive to purge the house of stuff not needed any more. In my case, since I’m getting some interior painting done this month, all draperies and carpets are going to the cleaners. A refreshed, more organized home is eagerly anticipated. I’m determined to be ruthless in getting rid of anything that no longer serves me. This painting project has galvanized me into taking much overdue action in organizing and sorting. I’m certain I’m not alone in desiring simplicity and authenticity. The detritus from my erstwhile negligence will be banished!

I want to get back to making spaces work for how we live. This translates to no high maintenance anything. The business of living should not require attending to the care of objects or environments that do not play a part in our philosophy. Think silverware that need regular polishing,shelves of books that haven’t been opened in ages, outdated clothes, knick knacks with no real sentimental value, uncomfortable or no longer enjoyed but nevertheless pretty furniture ( that last one goes for shoes too!) – you get my drift. What I discard could be useful to others so of course they will be donated appropriately. Thrift stores, Goodwill, Salvation Army, libraries etc.,

The same approach works in the garden. Make your plans now before the busy season. Fussy plants, over-enthusiastic/invasive growers, play-sets that are in danger of becoming fossilized, outdoor furniture that need constant care, lawns demanding way too much attention are all things to get rid of. Fix steps, paths, railings and fences that have become shabby or broken. Introduce native plants that will thrive with minimum care. Reduce the lawn area by creating new flower/vegetable beds or planting trees. Mulch and groundcovers reduce the need for frequent weeding and watering. Keep with organic, environmentally sound practices and use sustainable, native woods for pergolas, gazebos, fences, furniture and such. Alternatively, consider hardworking metals. While plastics have made huge progress in appearance, it is still plastic and must eventually head to already burgeoning land-fills. Children’s play areas should stimulate imaginations and create a sense of adventure and understanding of the natural world.. I’m a big believer in blending that activity space with the rest of the garden. Await a future post on this subject!

With house and garden set up for how we live, it translates to more time to enjoy that lifestyle and fewer obstacles or excuses for not getting on with what we really want to do. That is definitely cause to celebrate.

Announcing my art show at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in North Salem, NY. It’ll be on all of January 2016. Please visit!

Just for fun, I’m posting photos of how it looked last year at this time and how it looks now:

Last year:

Now:

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Rejoice In Everything!

Posted on December 29, 2015 by pgbundil

Once again, it’s that time of year when the buzz is all about new year resolutions. Humanity’s eternal quest to be given a new chance at becoming and doing better. Find a new job/ lose weight/ train for a marathon/ join a book club/ save more money/ go organic – there is a never ending list of commitments. Sound familiar? The very essence of being human is that we are imperfect and must therefore keep trying to overcome our shortcomings yet knowing all the while that perfection is unattainable. As I’ve said before, I’m not one for specific resolutions. Typically, I just strive to try harder in general. That is a full time job in itself.

Considering that these personal reformations are life-long endeavors, I’m not going to even reiterate them to myself. They just are. Like shadows that faithfully follow even when we don’t notice. Instead, I’m giving myself a one word cue to apply to everything. The word is, drum roll please – CELEBRATE.

We know to duly acknowledge the big events. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and such. But the reality is that the days and happenings we look upon as routine or mundane are fraught with reasons to celebrate. We’ve come to take so much for granted that we fail to recognize the wonder and miracles that honor our lives every single day. I felt this lack in me this year – for, while I was mostly preoccupied with big happenings and doing a fair amount of travel, I completely missed the numerous simple yet special moments that occur all the time no matter what else is going on.

In spring I got so immersed in getting ready for a solo art show, house guests, garden open day and my daughter’s high school graduation, that I failed to fully appreciate the myriad incredible moments in the garden. This was a particularly good spring. Yet, I spent so little time celebrating it. Oh, I certainly hosted a couple of garden parties, took a decent number of photographs of the horticultural splendor and airily pointed them out to anybody within earshot, but I didn’t truly give anything their just due. Every plant fulfilling its role in the garden deserves congratulations and thanks. A proper pause to admire and bask in their beauty is worth the effort. It is a moment to get outside of myself and focus on these treasures. The deep sense of well-being and enrichment I get from doing so is priceless.

The timely opening of the different flowers, the fragrance of hyacinths signaling the commencement of spring, the arrival of bees as the apple blossoms peak, wrens resettling themselves in the bluebird box, the early morning cacophony of avians tuning up for chorus, the cicadas repeating their song all summer long, the flashes of red as cardinals flit in and out of the rose covered apple tree, fireflies punctuating the sultry nights of summer, the drama of a good rain shower and the refreshed state of the garden following it, the turn of color as fall picks up speed, the quietness of a blizzard, the brilliance of light just before the sun begins to set. So many daily acts of grace that go uncelebrated. So many opportunities to feel good gone untaken.

Similarly, awakening the senses to the smell of coffee first thing in the morning, the sleepy greeting of a loved one emerging from the embrace of a cozy bed, the porch light twinkling its welcome at the end of a long day away, the unexpected note from a friend simply saying hello, the completion of a project be it big or small, the discovery of a $ 5.00 note in the glove compartment of the car, a favorite song coming through the radio just when you needed a boost, reading a really good book, coming upon a painting that seems to speak to your soul, finding the cherished scarf you thought you’d lost, the smile of a stranger as you pass on the escalator. Little sparks of comfort and goodness light up our days constantly. Are we paying attention?

So, by reminding myself to ‘Celebrate’, I’m going to be more present in all the quotidian goings on. When the peonies explode open is cause to pop the champagne. A morning of weeding and tidying calls for a luxurious soak in the tub. Invite a a few friends for a simple meal of homemade pasta with fresh pesto when the basil is ready for its first harvest. A quick watercolor to mark the unfurling of the roses. A poem to honor the parade of tulips. Wake the family with muffins loaded with just-picked blueberries. ( Place a rose-geranium leaf at the bottom of each muffin cup and then pour the batter. The fragrance is heavenly). In commemorating and rejoicing, we are expressing our gratitude in being fully alive and attuned to the world. How much more human can that be?

I wish each and everyone a year of miracles and celebrations. Every, single day.

While the unusually warm winter days are being favored with plants showing signs of spring, we might as well enjoy the sight. Give them some rightful attention. After all, who knows what will happen when spring months arrive? Below are photos taken this past Sunday at the Cloisters. The gardens looked like it was April. Including the fact that it was raining gently as though coaxing the plants awake.

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Stop The Fast Forward!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by pgbundil

Is Spring cutting line? Sure feels like it. Here we are in the last stretch of December and it feels like April. The long range forecast assures a balmy Christmas. That might be just fine out in California but in the North-east? The fireplace sits cold and unused and winter jackets still hang fresh from the cleaners. Admittedly, it’s kind of fun to head outdoors without the weight of layers but I’m beginning to get nervous. I’m holding my breath as I await the drop of the other shoe.

Clearly, weather patterns are topsy-turvy. The west is getting all the snow generally reserved for the east. Is Nature messing with our minds? Climate change is very real people! Seems humans are not the only ones confused. Looking around, the garden is showing distinct signs of spring awakening.

When news arrived that the cherry blossoms were in bloom in our nation’s capital, I thought it was a hoax. Like an April Fools joke. But then, as I wandered around the garden and elsewhere, I noticed plants that ought to be dormant bearing nascent buds and/or leaves. Normally, such sights make me insanely happy but at this time, I’m downright alarmed.

What are the immediate consequences? Perhaps some light color from early bloomers like cherry and forsythia will no doubt still put a smile on our faces. It might even be fun to go for spring-like walks in late December. But, where is this taking us? To a forever changed climate pattern in these parts or will winter roar in with a vengeance in January? In either case, what does that imply? Should I go ahead and order crape myrtles that I’ve envied in southern gardens?

A return to the usual winter conditions would kill the emerging growth but perhaps all will not be lost. While there will be some damage and even the loss of certain spring blooms, the plants will rally. They are resilient for the most part. The gardener will simply have to take their cue and stoically carry on with a potentially less than spectacular post-winter show.

However, if we completely forgo a cold season, it’ll wreak havoc. All bloom/fruit time bets are off. Plants that require a spell of hard cold will struggle to stay in character – after all, how can they play their part when the script has been completely changed? Others will bloom too early and who knows what this will do to producing fruit and seeds as the pollinating insects and migratory birds may not be around to do their job.

I’m not as yet aware how this warm weather is affecting animals that hibernate. Are they getting tired or do they have some sort of internal mechanism that compensates and adjusts? Have certain birds delayed their winter sojourn to enjoy these warm days of December? If so, what will happen if the temperatures plummet suddenly? Questions flood my mind as I casually sip my tea seated on the stone bench in the meadow and gaze upon squirrels at play. In December!

Meanwhile, how will we gardeners go about the ministry of our duties? Do I get my usual winter rest or am I to keep going with tasks brought forward per force?
I’m concerned about the myriad bulbs that need the winter to come up properly in spring. I spy the tips of bulbs piercing through the still unfrozen earth. A friend noticed that hyacinth bulbs planted in a pot and kept outdoors were protruding through the soil. So she brought them in and watered the pot. No leaves were put out and only the emergent end of the flower stalk bloomed. In fact, the plant did not grow any further. It merely put forth what it could and called it quits. So sad. Is this what we can expect more of?

To say I’m worried is an understatement. We are currently going through an unsettling period. The four distinct seasons, their arrivals, durations and departures have set the rhythms of our lives. We’ve come to know what to expect and what to do by their timeliness. Our own resilience is now being called upon. Plus our willingness to do our part in coping and caring for this beautiful Earth that is seeing shifts and changes. Some phenomena are natural but there is plenty that we humans have wrought. The answers to my numerous questions will come only in due course.
I’d like very much to hit the ‘Rewind’ button.

On a brighter note, today is the Winter Solstice. An extra minute of daylight every day hence! Use the minutes well – smile at a stranger, write a ‘thinking of you’ note to someone, take deep breaths and calm your mind, drink a glass of water, do some stretches, hug your pet, floss your teeth, read a poem, make a sketch …

Don’t the images below remind you of the start of spring?:

Magnolia

Hydrangea

Vinca

Buddleia

Iris

Climbing hydrangea

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The Enduring Gift

Posted on December 8, 2015 by pgbundil

Perhaps it is a sign of growing wise with age but I’m just plain tired of the commercial pressure to run out or get on-line to buy the latest and trendiest products to hand around as gifts. Am I the only one astounded that cars are considered perfectly normal Christmas presents? The insistent barrage from all manner of media dictate that I should not be the one who missed out on being the coolest gift giver. The message preys on the pervasive insecurity of humans – the fear of being the odd one out, to be considered stingy, ‘out of it’, unfashionable. Yet, for the most part, a month after the holidays, both gift and giver are forgotten. The world resumes its day to day rhythm and struggles to keep New Year resolutions and make those credit card payments. What are we doing to ourselves? More importantly, what does this say about us?

I have no idea how to change anybody but I do know what I can and will do to give what I believe is an authentic, thoughtful gift. One that surpasses time and trends. A gift that endures.
And I’m not talking packs of tube socks, electric toothbrush or flannel pajamas. While these are all practical, much used, loved and long lasting items, they admittedly do not carry the pizazz to elicit the squeal of delight one expects. They are simply not special. (Personally, I don’t need the squeal. I’ll take a genuine. heart-warming hug instead).

So how does one converge thoughtful with interesting? Welcome to the garden where it will show you how. Here, being rich or poor is inconsequential. What matters is the generosity of the heart.
The garden itself is a timeless, most generous gift. Day after day all through the years it feeds, nurtures, comforts, inspires and delights. For so much, all it asks in return is your time and attention. And there you have the key elements of honest, sincere giving – reciprocity, time and attentiveness.
Keeping this in mind, here is how I apply myself to the season of giving which, in my mind, is all year round.

First and foremost, I believe in passing on the benefits of being present in a garden. So, I’m happy to welcome friends to my own garden not only for gatherings I put together, but also for their own quiet pursuits like meditating, painting or writing. To those in need of continued encouragement to garden and gain inspiration, I give memberships to the New York Botanical Garden ( or the premier botanical garden in their area) and the Garden Conservancy. Then all through the year they can visit public and private gardens gaining intangible benefits that will last a long time. ( Pssst!This works for non-gardeners too!)

Staying with the horticultural theme, gifts of young trees, shrubs and plants are always welcome. Sometimes they are in memory of or in honor of somebody or some event. Toss in an assurance to help with their planting and your gift is golden. If funds are short, a promise to help with weeding and/or mowing on a weekly/monthly basis will be priceless. Even the offer to share your garden’s bounty is always much appreciated. Homegrown fresh flowers, herbs, veggies and fruits provide the most elegant of offerings. Sharing, helping, kindness equals feeling good all around.

One of the sweetest gifts I’ve received was a flat of young plants from seeds carefully collected by an old gardener going through very hard times. Knowing my love for columbines, he’d collected seeds from those in his plot and got them started. When they were ready for planting, he presented them to me. It felt like I’d just inherited the earth.

With children, taking the time to teach them or have them ‘help’ in the garden is one of the best gift exchanges of all. The adult gets to enjoy alone time with the child, pass on valuable lessons and the young one gains more than he/she can ever know. While receiving instruction on growing plants, thoughts and secrets are shared, confidence boosted and bonds strengthened.

If someone enjoys music or the theater, get tickets to a performance. Go together. Share a meal before or after. That memory will endure far longer than any object you might have given. Trust me.
If tickets are beyond your budget, make a date to watch the show on DVD/Netflix/on-line. Pizza, popcorn and libation of choice round out the present nicely.

One year, struggling to come up with gift ideas for boys, I taught a college sophomore a few super- simple recipes he could use to ‘impress’ his friends at his next party. We not only got to know each other better but, we shared lots of laughter over those tasty treats and the young man has gone on to become quite the amateur chef. I didn’t make him a cook. All I did was show him he could do it.

If a child plays a music instrument, then taking her to a concert where the soloist plays that particular instrument will go a long way in sustaining the interest. It doesn’t have to be a concert at Lincoln Center ( which of course is a real pleasure), but there are lesser known,highly talented groups/orchestras that play locally. Tickets to their events are less costly and just as enjoyable. In which case, a season’s subscription could be in order.

Likewise, an interest in art or natural history can be supported with membership to museums. Taking that person to a special exhibit might be all you can afford but it’ll be more than sufficient to show how much you care.

Walking/biking dates with a friend, a regular visit and game of Scrabble with one confined to the bed/house, a weekly phone or Skype chat living someone living far away …. the list is endless. Recently, a friend told me her son, a college freshman in the Midwest, missed the colorful fall of the Northeast. So, I sent him a box of multi-hued leaves. I had fun picking the leaves and he had a good laugh receiving them. I was sent a photo of his window decorated with said leaves.

The common thread through all of these gifts is that triumvirate of thoughtful giving: Personal Time, Attention and Understanding. The garden taught me that.

Note: From Dec 8 – 22, 2015, the Holiday Art Show is on at the Phyllis Harriman gallery of the New York Art Students League. Lots of art to be enjoyed! You might score a great deal. Take a friend and make it a play date. Full disclosure – I have a painting in the show.

Enjoy the photos of this year’s Train Show at NYBG. It is always inspiring and delightful.

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Planning Time

Posted on December 1, 2015 by pgbundil

I’m thoroughly enjoying this protracted autumn. While concerned thoughts of global warming and memories of last winter come to mind, I’m nevertheless taking full advantage of these magnificent, sepia-hued days.

After months of giving us its all, the garden has slowed down and retired for a much deserved rest. Now is the time to envision our plans for the ‘perfect’ garden. This quiet period is exactly when we must do the hard work of planning, preparing and executing ideas and dreams. The fullness of spring and summer do not let this happen. If you have an image in your mind/phone/camera that depicts your version of paradise, then the moment is nigh to begin making it a reality. By the time winter is making an exit, your dream garden can be well on its way to becoming a reality.

With this intent, the old pergola is being replaced by a better, bigger and sturdier one. The two wisteria that ramble all over it can at this time be safely clipped and propped to remove the existing structure from under. The slate flooring below now has the four concrete foundations poured, set and waiting to support the posts of the cedar replacement.
Not only could this task not be done in the growing seasons, it would have been difficult to actually visualize the dimensions and design of the new pergola in the midst of so much growth.
Come spring, the wisteria should be able to resume its jolly habit of sprawling and wrapping itself all over. I fully expect to be thanked for their new accommodations with prolific blooms..

Even as the hedges, trees and grasses provide the ‘bones’ of the garden, the seed heads and waning foliage offer a visually textured feast that glows in the low autumn light. I see the ‘holes in the plantings and make notes. In the next few weeks, I will select appropriate additions for these areas. Just like the seedpods, our minds are full of promises to come.

On my walks in the woods, I observe trees and plants that trigger my acquisitive habit. I return to my garden to see clearly just where I might be able to introduce the coveted ones. Given that the garden is small and already intensely planted, only a few from my wish list will make it. But I’ll keep in mind the rest as they can be placed in other gardens.

The natural undulations of the land are visible now that vegetation is either cut down or removed. This permits me to see how the flow of rain water is guided and why certain plants did well and others did not. These same crests and dips dictate to the required height specifications when introducing plants to be a part of a natural grouping or meadow. For instance, a low growing plant set on a higher point will be visible and show itself at equal stature to a mid-height plant growing in an indentation. All planting does not require a flat surface.

Similarly, decisions on fences and hedges can be made in the clarity of a garden in hibernation. Style, height and function are made apparent. Let the earth speak to you.

In the process of noting, observing and planning for the garden, I find myself filling up on creative inspiration for new art and poetry as well. Nature has that knack. She will open your mind and expand your heart every time you spend time with her. And she will give you enough work to do for a lifetime.

Announcements!:

1.For those of you following my work with the HIV/AIDS children, a new post has been added on the Lucky Ones page: the-van-den-bergs-visit-the-children-november-2015

2. Three opportunities to buy art and related products for the holidays: https://seedsofdesign.com/happenings/

I am participating in all three. Do come. Support the arts by giving art!

Enjoy the photos of late fall:

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Nature To The Rescue

Posted on November 24, 2015 by pgbundil

Thanksgiving always makes me pause to review the year, where I am in my intentions, what has been experienced and where I want to be. No matter how the twelve months since the previous Thanksgiving have been, I’m invariably left brimming with gratitude. It is my favorite holiday because it is all about appreciating our lives just as they are and for the gifts we’ve been given in the form of family and friends. Cultivating gratitude is the genesis of happiness.

This year is particularly poignant. There is currently so much strife, heartache and hate mongering in the world that even the simplest of blessings stands out in stark contrast.

While struggling to make sense of the many horrific happenings, I’ve been naturally gravitating to nature. Long walks amongst the fading autumnal vegetation have become mainstays. With the seasonal garden tasks all addressed, I’ve moved indoors to get amaryllis and paperwhites started. The Schlumbergera ( Thanksgiving/Christmas cactii) are beginning to bloom and have been placed to advantage. Nothing like a shot of fuchsia to liven up the days of low light. The orchids in bloom uplift my spirit by bringing up memories of joyous days with family in Singapore this past July. Flower power is a very real thing.

In the kitchen, meals rich in autumn’s bounty give comfort. Sweet and fragrant roasted root vegetables with thyme, carrot soup made silky with goat cheese, shaved Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts and roast grapes, saffron risotto with wild mushrooms, fresh pasta with garlic sauce, arugula and walnuts. So much delicious choice!

All of this points to the obvious. Nature will heal our hearts and soothe our tempers if we will only let it. After all, horticulture therapy has demonstrated its efficacy in helping those battling physical or mental illnesses. Prisoners have been transformed when charged with gardening responsibilities. Adults and children wounded by life experiences have gained confidence and a sense of self from growing a garden. When a person grows the food that feeds him and his family, a profound sense of accomplishment is born. Plants have long been used medicinally and cosmetically. Products that improve our lives gently.

Those of us who have are gardeners have always known to escape into the garden to work out problems, get rid of negative emotions, find solace from trying situations, gain inspiration when creatively blocked. I’ve yet to be let down by a timely dose of Nature. And I challenge you to find anybody who regrets having spent time communing with the natural world. The fact is that if you’re busy in a garden, you learn to respect life and understand that we are each but a small part of a glorious whole. One’s own well-being depends on the well-being of all living matter. It is as simple and as complex as that. And so, if you’re busy in a garden, you have no time or energy to think or do anything horrid.

On my part, this season, I’m paying forward the joy I receive from plants. I’m forcing bulbs to give friends some holiday cheer, a promise of a young tree to be planted next spring to console a grieving neighbor – each year when it blooms will be cause to celebrate the departed loved one, a native plant seed starter kit for a young adult emerging from the fog of mental illness, batches of vegetable stew well seasoned with garden herbs to stock up the freezer of a dear one recovering from cardiac surgery and now on a salt free diet, divisions of choice plants from my garden for a novice gardener. Nature offers as many gifts as needed. Help yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving to you! May it be filled with blessings and plenty of laughter.

Here is some flower power for you:

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Working It Out

Posted on November 3, 2015 by pgbundil

After that sudden freeze we had a couple of weeks ago, we are currently experiencing September-like temperatures. Methinks Mother Nature is teasing. Or maybe she is testing us?

It is hard to be enthusiastic about chores in autumn. There is much to do and after all that work, we are faced with short, cold days and long, even colder nights. So while the weather is still balmy, it feels only right to soak in the warmth and revel in the beauty of the season. The way the colors glow without ever seeming gaudy inspires and confounds the artist in me. I am eternally humbled by Nature’s mastery.

Despite wanting to just sit outside, there really has been much activity in the garden. A great deal to tidy up, cut back, clean, prune and put away. The raking of leaves alone is a big task. It goes even slower when distracted by the richness of hues in the fallen leaves. The pots need to be emptied and cleaned; they get put away only when they’re truly dry lest some mold or bacterium settles in to taint next spring’s plantings. The very large pots, once cleaned, will be wrapped in plastic and then burlap so they can stay on site. Wisteria and fruit trees are pruned to a state of tidiness. Fall window boxes installed. The greenhouse is already harboring the tender plants – refilling the propane tanks used to keep the greenhouses heated becomes a weekly job from now till the spring thaw.
I have about 750 bulbs to plant and normally, I’d have got them into the ground by now. But with the soil still being so warm, I’ve postponed it till next week.

Yes, there is plenty happening in the garden. Putting it to bed is much more challenging than getting a 3-year old to sleep. More exhausting too. The only way to keep doing the hard work is to remind oneself of why we garden and what makes one a gardener.

Here is how I see it. To be given the chance to create a garden is a divine endowment. A calling even. It happens from within. Simply owning a piece of property does not a garden make. Look around – not every house has a true garden. Having the inner fire to make something of it is the first sign. And then, one surrenders to Nature. We make mistakes, fail repeatedly and still keep at it. We cannot distance ourselves from gardening. We are connected deeply. What a gardener gives, he gets in return. It is a beautiful, complex relationship – where each lets the other shine and thrive. It is built on forgiveness, constant nurturing, trust and love. Most importantly, there is room to grow individually. If you stop to think about this, you’ll see what I mean.

Now in the autumn, while the gardener is clearing and cleaning up so the garden can rest, the garden in turn, is instructing on accepting change, preparing for the future with grace and bringing a self-awareness so we can become more of who we want to be. As I get rid of the detritus and debris from the garden, I consciously go inside of myself. To peel back layers that I thought I needed and instead begin to feel comfortable with my exposed flaws and vulnerabilities. To accept who I really am and take joy in that.

The bones of the garden are now more visible. Without adornment of flower or foliage, it lies naked in repose. All is as it should be. I too welcome the winter to spend in introspection and gratitude. Together we will emerge next spring – renewed and ready.

Pssst! I’m starting some amaryllis today to cheer me on.

Note: If you live in my neck of the woods, please be sure to see the Northern Westchester Artists Guild exhibit at the Chappaqua Library. Nov 8 – Jan 4.

I have two paintings in this show and would love to see you at the reception on Nov 8, 3:00 – 6:00 pm.

Chappaqua Library,185, South Greeley Ave, Chappaqua, NY 10514.

Enjoy these images of fall taken today at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (www.stonebarnscenter.org) :

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Seeds of Design

by Shobha Vanchiswar

Category Archives: Seasons Greetings

Nesting Instincts. Enlightened Gardening #3.

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Lawning Ahead. Enlightened Gardening #1

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The Senescence Scene

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Celebrate!

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Rejoice In Everything!

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Stop The Fast Forward!

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The Enduring Gift

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Planning Time

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Nature To The Rescue

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Working It Out

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