Not Your Average Garden Club Meeting

A visitor from Sleepy Hollow

I've talked about about my garden club, the "Night Bloomers," before.  We are a collection of individuals who gather, once a month at a members home, to share our garden experiences, knowledge and tips, and many of us belong to other gardening/nature organizations that also contribute in expanding our gardening horizons.  We are not a rag-tag organization, nor are we a "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" group.  However, I would not classify us as one your textbook, "white glove society" garden clubs, with lots of rules and bylaws either, as rules and bylaws are virtually unheard of in this particular group.

I think this is their landscape designer and his assistant.  Certainly not a landscape architect, as he would have white hair and his assistant would be truly angelic.

A couple of neighbors floating by.

We are basically normal, everyday people concerned about our herbs and vegetables and flowers. That is, until the month of October rolls around on the calender and we meet at Night Bloomer member Susan's home--in the early evening--presumably before all of the "ghosties" and "ghoolies" come out to do a bit of weeding, hoeing and reaping of their own.

Susan with her husband, Richard, a.k.a. Egor and Morticia.

One of the guests brought his version of pumpkin pie, a la EEK!

Family pets, Jack and Russell, greet visitors as they enter the cemetery--I mean property.

This is the garden club meeting where gardening concerns take  a different turn and Susan's home and yard, which is usually brimming with colorful flowers and foliage, sophisticated statuary (from Blooming Hill, of course) and neatly sculpted rock-lined paths through trees with bowing branches turns into a scene from the Amityville Horror Movie. Did I mention that Susan and her husband, Richard, are members of the Amityville Horror Society???  They really are lovely people, you know.

She gives a whole new meaning to the term "Ginger".

Anyway, the Night Bloomers met for our annual scary October meeting, last night, at Susan's aptly appointed Halloween home where she and Richard will meet and greet friends and trick-or-treaters from around the neighborhood. If you ask me, all they need is a little thunder and lightening and they can call the place "Pet Cemetery."

Dorothy and the flying monkeys aren't anywhere to be seen.  Can you blame them???

This "neighbor" asked for a ride home last night but I said I didn't have room in the car--I hate lying, although it is a Mini Cooper.

As informative, and enjoyable as the evening was at Susan' home, by the end of the Night Bloomer's meeting, when the really dark shadows reveal themselves, I always make sure I walk out through the gardens with everyone else, get in my car, lock the doors and speed off before any witch or skeleton has a chance to bum a ride home with me.  Then I hum Christmas Carols the entire way back to my house as it helps take my mind off of the macabre evening I just sat through.

A couple more of the "neighbors" were out for their evening stroll as I was walking into the garden club meeting. I was just praying that they weren't going to ask me any questions about lavender or when the shop at Blooming Hill is open.

Can't wait to see what you have planned for next year, Susan and Richard!  Until then...

It's a yearly tradition that I've come to look forward to as Susan and Richard's Halloween home is happily occupied by two generous spirits who play along to the holiday and are unafraid to share their sense of humor and good will with their friends at a "not-your-average" garden club meeting, and beyond.  Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Love

Henry David Thoreau once said about pumpkins, "I'd rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion." That may also be true for any one of us, as our love affair with pumpkins seems to grow out of dark, spooky nights, ancient legends and fairy tales that end in "and they lived happily ever-after..."

The colors of the season mirror the colors of pumpkins.

Whether they are meticulously handmade or mysteriously rise out of a corner patch in the garden, pumpkins and even misshapen gourds steel our hearts during this picture-perfect season of brilliant reds, glorious yellows and burnished browns, all wrapped up in breezy blue autumn skies.
Yet, bright orange and creamy white globes coupled with silvery green stems can take our breath away in the stillness of a starry night or even a crystal-clear day, conjuring up images of cackling witches, black cats and ghosts swirling around haunted houses.

The pumpkin has been around for thousands of years and is thought to be a native of Central America, bringing with it a rich heritage, not only to the legends of Halloween throughout the world, but also to the tradition of Thanksgiving here in America, both in decoration and nutrition. Pumpkins were present, if not at the first Thanksgiving between the Indians and pilgrims, but definitely documented at their Thanksgiving meal, the following year.  Since then, pumpkins have graced just about every Thanksgiving table, in some shape or form, throughout America ever since.

 "For pottage and puddings and custards and pies 
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies, 
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon, 
If it were not for pumpkins, we should be undoon." (Pilgrim verse, circa 1633)
 

I'm really glad that hairdressers today do not make a habit out of using pumpkin shells as a guide for cutting hair!

In the early colonies pumpkin shells were also commonly used as a template for haircuts to ensure a round and uniform finished cut. As a result of this New Englanders were sometimes nicknamed "pumpkinheads".










Rich in antioxidants, pumpkin extracts have been used for medicinal purposes, too.  Long ago, pumpkin was thought to help erase freckles and cure snake bites. Traditionally, pumpkin is used in treating bladder irritations, kidney infections and intestinal worms while the seeds of pumpkins are believed to have properties that can effectively aid in avoiding and/or treating prostate cancer.

A little pumpkin wisdom from the late 1800's described this member of the squash family as "usually very large and of considerable weight. It is sometimes said of a very stout person, that he resembles a pumpkin. The comparison is vulgar, and cannot fail to be taken as an affront." That being said, I would also add that there are indeed some pumpkins out there that only a mother could love. However, the charm and whimsy of any pumpkin is something to be cherished by all of us as they often hold snapshots in our hearts of colorful memories, happy thoughts and good times.

Chrysanthemum, The Autumn Flower

It must be autumn as the signs of the season are making themselves apparent. Just as the flowers of summer are on the wane and the trees reveal their sun-burned heads, cloaking themselves in red and gold and brown, it's about this time in early autumn, when chrysanthemums begin to bloom freely in pots at front doors, in kitchen gardens and parterres and even along the roadsides.  This "late-comer" to the garden party will face the coldest days of October and the dreariest days of November with steadfast cheerfulness in their own rainbow of pink and umber and crimson.  

In the language of flowers, the chrysanthemum represents cheerfulness, first and foremost. Long ago and far away in the lands of China and Japan, these happily adorned flowers originated in the color of yellow, with elegant curling petals atop stiff stems wrapped in shapely silver-green leaves.  They have been around for the better part of 3000 years.

Through generations of floral engineering, not only have the colors of chrysanthemums expanded but also their meanings, from cheerfulness to loveliness, even in the face of adversity, bridging together the colors created by the summer sunshine and the strength needed to stand up to the rigors of winter winds. In fact, in the Chinese tradition of flowers, chrysanthemums are compared to men rather than women and, are considered a flower of honor along with plum blossoms, orchids and bamboo as they all represent strength and nobility. 

Chrysanthemums are edible and make a lovely herbal tea with a decidedly spicy twist that is reminiscent of their aroma.  Many Chinese women will choose chrysanthemum tea over coffee any day of the week.  This autumn flower is known to have health benefits such as being a natural coolant to the human body and can boost immunity.   In fact, ancient people believed that this long blooming flower, able to withstand very cold weather, had captured the soul of both the sky and the earth.  When you think of a chrysanthemum in that way, how could it not contribute to anyone's good health?!

The word "chrysanthemum" comes from Greek words meaning "Golden Flower."  Today, countries throughout the world recognize this sturdy yet colorful bloomer for its cheerfulness in the garden as it is a wonderful shield against the adversity of the coming harsh weather by extending the "Golden Days" of autumn just a little longer.

Greenhouse Love

Sunflowers and roses--a late summer vision in yellow!

The shop with it's new greenhouse room--we love it!

You've heard the expression, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire."  Well, that's sort of what has been going on around here all summer long, from adding lots of new lavender beds, to expanding our "you pick" field, to installing our new labyrinth and finally, right into enlarging the shop.  Yes--that's what I said--we've (well, Peter, really but I helped, here and there, and took all of the pictures.) enlarged the shop.

A view of our original and hardworking "happy-place" greenhouse, through the poppies, this past May.  This greenhouse will continue as it always has--home to cuttings and plants year-round.

Waaaaay back in May, a customer and now our friend, Linda, visited Blooming Hill and then offered us an unused greenhouse that was just taking up space on her property.  Ever the thrifty and curious gardeners, Peter and I went over to her house to take a look.  Before we even left the property, we both had about 20 ideas as to what we could use it for.  So, a few days later, Peter and Kevin went back to Linda's and dismantled the greenhouse, packed it up in the truck and brought it back to Blooming Hill, where it sat in pieces for a few months. We had to think about where it would best fit on the property and then we had to mull that over a bit as well.

WARNING!  Devil deer know how to photo-bomb!

The herb garden in August.

Suddenly it was August! Where did this summer go to, anyway?  The time was ripe to get cracking on yet another project and, after weighing all of our options, a little extra space in the shop seemed like a pretty good idea.  Hence, nestled in the shady glade and attached to the back door of the shop our new greenhouse room is another bright and happy place while adding to the overall "garden" feel of the place.  So, instead of talking endlessly (as I have a habit of doing when I blog) on the construction and rebuilding of it I thought I'd post a few pictures of the whole process instead.  Here it goes in a nutshell, so don't blink...

In any case, we love what we've done with the place and hope you will stop by and take a look around yourself!  Tell us what you think.

A garden angel keeping watch at the greenhouse room's back door.

Labyrinth - The Way In Is the Way Out

Our newly constructed labyrinth here at Blooming Hill, painstakingly built by Peter.   I could not have asked for a more perfect 34th wedding anniversary gift.

The way in is the way out.  Sounds like something Morpheus probably said to Neo in the movie, The Matrix, or perhaps Jedi Zen Master, Yoda, might have said to his young protegee, Luke Skywalker.  Yet, it is actually a simple description of the design and purpose of a labyrinth.   A labyrinth is a single-path circle (sometimes oval or square-shaped, too) with twists and turns, some expected and others unexpected, that begins and ends pretty much in the same place. Yet, a labyrinth can have the mysterious ability to help center an individual, spark creativity and might just help, clarify a question hidden deep within the nooks and crannies of a person's mind, body and even soul.

Before hand-digging the labyrinth shape, Peter used the tractor of our neighbor and good friend, Joyce, to carve out a big enough space in the rolling topography leading down to a small pond.

The inspiration behind the journey, just beginning.

The idea really taking shape in the dappled shade on a hot July afternoon.

Through the years, I have had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth at different locations, during church events and other group meetings and have found them to be an enlightening experience. I have always thought Blooming Hill would be a perfect place to have one, especially as a companion to the lavender field.  I have been working on Peter to design and build one for a long time and, after some heated discussions, serious soul searching and compromise on both of our parts as to just exactly where to put it, finally, last month, he got down on his knees and dug a labyrinth by hand--sometimes, literally!  This whole process, we found, was just as much of a quest, if not more, as purposefully walking one that is already installed.  Labyrinths are thought to enhance right brained activity and, as we are both left-handed, Peter and I are always open to expanding our already creative sides.

The prodigal son, still home this past July and just before he began his own 9-year journey in medical school at Virginia Tech, helped his father do some heavy lifting and spreading of stones to create the "walls" that would separate the soon-to-be grassy paths.

Carefully laying down dirt and grass seed.

A closer look at the center of the labyrinth in the early stages, dug by a right-brained, left-handed  landscape architect named Peter (or P. Lorenz, if you want to be  totally"artsy" about it.)

Labyrinths are not some new age phenomenon that somehow sprang up out of pop culture.  Rather, they are ancient, stemming as far back as ancient Rome and Greece and even earlier. They were also a central part of the Catholic Faith during the middle ages and often walked as a representation of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or for repentance, bringing the participant closer to God and these practices are still inspiration to walk a labyrinth in modern times.  For many, walking a labyrinth can be a mystical experience while others may just simply not understand them.  In any case, a labyrinth, whether the experience is deeply meaningful or just fun, can make a participant stop and think.

Somebody just can't wait until it's finished to expand his spiritual side.

Apparently, for some people, digging out chunks of heavy clay soil is lot's of fun!

Heavy rainfall, one evening sent pea gravel and dirt to just about everywhere they should not have gone since the emerging grass could not hold them in place. So, once again, some hand-digging action needed to executed in order to retain the design of the labyrinth.

Our Blooming Hill Labyrinth is 28 feet in diameter with a classical design outlined in pea gravel to help you stay on the soft-grassy path. The goal is to reach the center and then turn around and walk back out by using the single circuitous path, thus bringing the participating walker some clarity by the end of the journey.

He walks it everyday to meditate on the squirrels and free his mind from those devil deer...Really!

A view of the labyrinth from the top of the hill.

Stop by and try out our new labyrinth.  It is not quite finished as we wait for cooler weather in order to build a stone retaining wall and add a bench to enable a walker to relax, let go and receive an answer.  However, many visitors to Blooming Hill have already tried it and liked it and, much to our own liking, have come back to use it again. We are always happy to share something of our own journey here at the farmlet and look forward to sharing it with many more who may be interested as they come in and out of our Blooming Hill life.