Category Archives: Seasons Greetings

Beyond The Season

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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

Milkweed seedpod

 

Rose hips to bring indoors

Rose hips to bring indoors

 

Pine cones for decorating

Pine cones for decorating

 

Grapevine prunings and dried hydrangea adorn an autumn table

Grapevine prunings and dried hydrangea adorn an autumn table

 

Someone who needs protection in winter

Someone who needs protection in winter

 

After a storm

After a storm

 

More storm damage

More storm damage

 

Some of the bulbs to plant

Some of the bulbs to plant

 

Forced hyacinth

Forced hyacinth

 

Lavender 'wand' to scent rooms and closets

Lavender ‘wands’ to scent rooms and closets

(c) 2013 Shobha Vanchiswar

This Annual Dusk

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This Annual Dusk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apples awaiting

Apples awaiting


Bulbs awaiting

Bulbs awaiting


Figs awaiting!

Figs awaiting!


Glorious autumnal colors. At NYBG.

Glorious autumnal colors. At NYBG.

Resolving Resolutions!

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It’s what everybody talks about this time of year. Even those who don’t make resolutions. I fall into that category. Sort of. Let me explain.

 

With age, has come some wisdom. I know not to set myself up for broken resolutions. Isn’t that what happens to most resolves? So I got tired of the guilt and sense of falling short of my expectations. I do indeed want to cultivate healthy habits, be a better person etc., but those, I decided, are life long goals. Each day I try to eat well, exercise, be positive, make a difference, be loving and so on. Some days are more successful than others. I don’t beat myself up on the not so great days. Every sunrise opens a new day to try again.

 

At the start of a new year, I review my big goals. Then I resolve to keep the ball rolling forward in each of those areas. Each day I move ahead in the right direction. On some days only inches are gained and on others, leaps are made. It’s all positive. And every degree of effort matters.

 

For purposes of this column, I’ll stick to gardening resolutions. In truth, as always, everything can be extrapolated to other areas of life.

 

Review the past year in the garden. What was successful and what was not. And why it was so. Knowing the reason is important if you want to learn. Think about what work was enjoyable, doable, difficult or neglected. How the tasks are perceived will explain a great deal about the garden itself. If you don’t remember to deadhead then naturally, the plants were a bit messy looking and went to seed quickly. Ditto for weeding.

 

Having done this, ask yourself if you’re reasonably satisfied with the overall performance. Yours as well as that of the garden. An honest answer will quite naturally point you to the appropriate approach for the ensuing year. Often you can be well satisfied even if there are areas you know that need rethinking or improvement. Again, that’s in the garden and yourself. Garden and gardener are usually evaluated together.

 

Things that failed are often more valuable in teaching us. With successes, one has a tendency to bask in it and simply repeat the same action. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, taking the time to understand the why of the success is neglected. After all, if it ain’t broke why fix it right? Failure on the other hand forces a confrontation. Which then leads to enlightenment. In the end, it is precisely that which makes us become better gardeners. Information gained in one project will be found useful elsewhere as well.

 

Let me give an example. A couple of years ago, I designed two almost identical perennial beds for a client. They were to give symmetry to an ordinary level path that led to the terrace. The new beds looked lovely. Having all the same growing conditions, the two beds were expected to thrive equally. And they did in the first year. However, from the second season on, one bed began to struggle for no apparent reason. The shrubs in particular were having a hard time. We tried replacing with new, healthy ones but again, they did not do well. With all things being equal, this was puzzling. The client even suggested we take out all the ‘failures’ and go with just the successes. That would’ve been easy. But I couldn’t let it rest at that. There was a reason for the problem and I had to find it.

Poring over old and new plans of the property, I saw that one bed was above a very old, long forgotten septic tank. The path separating the beds was a boundary of sorts. The reason the shrubs were unable to grow was because their roots quickly hit the concrete roof of the tank thus stunting their growth.

 

So instead of identical beds, we went for dissimilar ones. This actually proved to be even more striking in appearance than the first design. You see?

 

To sum up, there are no garden failures. Instead, think of everything as a lesson. Some are just harder than others. And as for the new year’s resolutions, plan on learning a whole lot more this year, do something useful in the garden every day, be accountable and keep moving forward.

 

I wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy and peaceful 2013.

 

(c) Shobha Vanchiswar 2013

As The Year Comes To An End

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With the winter solstice having just passed and the new year approaching, there’s a sense of reflection and renewal. It is that time when one looks at the year gone by and moves to the one ahead. In that vein, I offer you this poem:

 

Minute By Minute

 

Light lingers

minute by minute

Hope grows

minute by minute

 

As seasons pass

through birth and death

The cycle closes

And then starts again

 

Earth warms

minute by minute

Sun climbs

minute by minute

 

Calenders marked

with future plans

Days to meet

And then look back upon

 

Live purposefully

minute by minute

Make it matter

minute by minute.

(c) Shobha Vanchiswar 2012

Just In Time For Gift Giving – Book Review

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The Unexpected Houseplant by Tovah Martin

In the interest of full disclosure, I have, for a couple of decades at least, been a fan of Ms. Martin’s writings. I have a deep respect for her work. Tovah and I have met. She wrote a wonderful article about my garden in Westchester magazine in 2010 (Less Is More by Tovah Martin). So, by no means is this an unbiased review. However, since nobody asked me to write about this book, I had no reason to do so if I didn’t actually like it. I purchased the book because I’ve appreciated Martin’s previous books. Then I went through it. Now I want to shout from the roof top – Go get a hold of this book! It is sumptuous. Pretty and practical, making it a must read. Give a copy to a friend.

Tovah is a lyrical writer. She liberally and cleverly sprinkles Latin names of plants as though that’s how everybody speaks, and sneaks in horticultural wisdom in the guise of anecdotal stories.The reader emerges feeling not only smarter but quite inspired to follow her ideas and suggestions.

The Unexpected Houseplant really is about the unexpected. To dig up something from the garden and bring it in to cheer up the dark winter days might not be novel. But, did it ever occur to you to bring in a clump of euphorbia? That certainly never occurred to me. The very vision of the chartreuse green bracts punching up the winter’s gray is delightful. Similarly, one is encouraged to try other perennials indoors. Just for the season. Using the garden as a sort of horticultural lending library appeals to me enormously.

How best to show the plants off is demonstrated beautifully in the photographs. The right container makes all the difference. Each plant specimen is treated as an individual, and placed in what serves it uniquely. Much artistic thought has gone into this. I’m left feeling a bit envious of Martin’s collection. Yet, I’m sure if I looked around my house, I’m likely to find unexpected, imaginative planters.

With lots of advice and information, this is a good book to learn about enjoying plants in the house. It takes a fresh look on the subject. I’m all set to add to my indoor plant collection and get through the winter with patience, joy and grace.

IMG_7890(c) Shobha Vanchiswar 2013

 

Surreptitious Solitude

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Have you been collecting all the seed and plant catalogs arriving in the mail? Printing out ideas you come across while surfing the web? And tearing out pages from magazines that display your dream gardens? I have. They all go into a folder where they await temptingly. That is what I like to call my fantasy folder. Typically, I save it till mid to late January just when winter seems to drag on and on.

In this digital age when almost everything I do is on-line, I prefer the actual paper collection of material. I find it easier to lay out the pages or parts thereof to get a full design. Marking ideas or comments aids me in how I create. I like spreading things out to think things through. But if you’d much rather have everything on your gadget of choice, then by all means do so. Whatever works. I myself get too distracted when on the Internet. I find it too easy to get side tracked. Then before I know it, a whole lot of time has gone wasted.

What I’ve discovered is that the catalogs are perfect escapes when one is caught up in the frenetic and stressful pace of December. Even those of us who are more simple in our approach to the holidays, feel the pressure of the season. Baking, cards, gifts, recitals, parties, decorating, year end reviews, tips and bonuses …. the list goes on. Taking a breather is easier said than done.

So I’ve come up with a way to escape mentally even as I’m surrounded by the merry madness. I carry a couple of seed/plant catalog with me. I go through them whenever I have to wait in line or for an appointment, in the train/plane, before a child’s recital or any place I need some quite time. To others I look like I’m shopping for gifts. Very apropos don’t you think?

As I thumb through the pages, I have taken myself to a different season and sometimes to a different place altogether. I imagine perfect gardens. I dream of growing plants that wouldn’t survive where I actually live. I lose myself in fantastical horticultural pursuits. Then, suddenly the lights in the auditorium dim and I’m back in the moment feeling nicely refreshed. And that’s not all. I have actually made a few notes, started a list, ear marked certain pages for more leisurely and realistic planning. Progress has been made. And no one’s the wiser about my unseasonal anti-social behavior.

Time very well spent I’d say.

Enjoy the photographs that bring spring to mind:

Amaryllis


Hellebores – harbingers of spring


Tulips


Early spring plantings in potager


A “garden” chair


Meyer lemons in the greenhouse


(c) Shobha Vanchiswar 2012

In the garden 2012-08-10

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In the garden 2012-01-20

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In the garden 2011-12-23

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In the garden 2011-11-11

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