'The Essential Earthman' Henry Mitchell
"It's important, isn't it, to think of the garden as a wonderful place to be, "
" While we have sense enough not to expect the impossible, we have a right to expect the magical."
To gardeners these words ring true.
Henry Mitchell tapped into the psyche of the average backyard gardener
working on their own wonders.
He understood that it was not so much advise that was needed but an understanding of the experience itself.
How one feels while digging in the dirt, making plans,watching the garden grow.
We say yes and nod, when the storms beat his prize flowers, for we have been there.
We say "oh yeah" when he buys the sculpture after disdaining all such.
We know his joy at beauty he lent a hand.
For what gardener has not risen at dawn to see the morning light and sat out at dusk watching fireflies or listening to the robins sing goodnight.
We marvel at the tips of growth in spring, the texture and size of leaves,the bright blue of the sky.
The magic in the garden delights us, it is such a wonderful place to be...
Garden Blogger's Book Club at May Dreams Garden
" While we have sense enough not to expect the impossible, we have a right to expect the magical."
To gardeners these words ring true.
Henry Mitchell tapped into the psyche of the average backyard gardener
working on their own wonders.
He understood that it was not so much advise that was needed but an understanding of the experience itself.
How one feels while digging in the dirt, making plans,watching the garden grow.
We say yes and nod, when the storms beat his prize flowers, for we have been there.
We say "oh yeah" when he buys the sculpture after disdaining all such.
We know his joy at beauty he lent a hand.
For what gardener has not risen at dawn to see the morning light and sat out at dusk watching fireflies or listening to the robins sing goodnight.
We marvel at the tips of growth in spring, the texture and size of leaves,the bright blue of the sky.
The magic in the garden delights us, it is such a wonderful place to be...
Garden Blogger's Book Club at May Dreams Garden
posted by Gloria at 12:50 AM
4 Comments:
Hello Gloria,
I came over from Carol's May Dreams Garden blog to read your Earthman post, and now know you as another person who loves his words.
As a former Chicagoland gardener, I do envy you those little bulbs - we have some wonderful things to grow here in TX, so this isn't exactly a complaint, but I miss Scilla and Puschkinia in spring.
May your garden always be magical.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Hello Annie in Austin,good to meet a fellow reader of Henry Mitchell.
His writing reveals so much about his garden and himself,something he understood clearly as he mentions not fearing that revelation.
So much of what Mitchell writes can be applied to a great philosophy for life.
Patience,resolving problems rather than fretting,the ability to adapt to a changing situation,
reveling in all the detail,all the many ways to make the gardening experience and your life better.
Spring bulbs aregood enough reason to endure winter don't you think???
I planted some Puschkinia this fall for the 1st time. I am looking forward, already, to seeing their blooms this spring!
Carol, in September I was one of many volunteers at the Lurie garden in Millennium Park Chicago that helped dig in 60,000 spring blooming bulbs. The Dutch bulb designer Jacqueline van der Kloet and Frans Roozen from the Dutch bulb people that donated all the bulbs and Piet Oudolf taught us how they wanted them planted. Different mixes were put together then scattered in the designated areas. We then went in and planted where they landed. One two or three bulbs to a hole. All in the spaces between the perennials that have had a couple of years to grow in but still have a bit of space between not filled with roots.
I am so looking to spring to see how it all works.I'll be taking pictures from late March through May of the masses of flowers.
I learned how little I knew about bulbs in general.
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