I took a walk around my farm this morning. Spring is here, and after a little rain everything has burst into flower.
When I was a little girl, my Nana always told me that hers was a friendship garden. When I asked what she meant, she told me that most of her plants had come from friends, and that she thought of them whenever she looked at the plants that had grown from their cuttings or transplants.
Now I have a friendship garden too. At my back door this morning, a cactus plant given to me by a dear friend’s equally beautiful mum has put forth magnificent pink blooms.
“Oh,” I said to myself. “That’s Jewel’s cactus plant flowering.” I thought of Jewel and then of her daughter Carly coming to visit me from the city in her Jeep, dressed in crazy hot pants and gum boots, and with a bag full of cuttings from her mother’s garden.
Up by the pool, the rose geranium has gone mad. Every time you brush past it a delicious fragrance is released. I first took a cutting from a plant at my mum’s twenty years ago when I was at College. The cutting went into a pot, and that pot travelled many places before being put into the garden of my first home in Brisbane. When I moved, I took a cutting and planted it at my new home. Then I broke a bit off and planted some at my farm…
Geraniums? Not a one in my garden has come from a shop!
- Red Geranium from Valerie Askew’s garden – a neighbour at our previous farm
In my vegetable garden, my garlic chives came from seeds from a plant at the top of steps to my other grandmother’s back door. Marga’s chives, I think of them as, and I am immediately transported back to her house, her garden, and her kitchen.
The Hippeastrums that bloom under my jacaranda tree came from George the Cabbie, who was my next-door-neighbour at my first house in Brisbane. His wife called me ‘Nicky Love’ and they were always at the fence ready for a chat. George has passed on now, but I still think of him when his ‘hippies’ bloom.
I must be getting old, because I’m thinking like my Nana. Memories everywhere in this little garden of mine. There is something very precious to me about being able to look around my garden, and not see just plants, but people.
My heart feels very full this morning. ♥
I always think of my grandmother when the Japanese lanterns in our yard bloom. She and I transported them one day, unsure they would take. Now that she has passed, and long since moved from her house, those bring back memories of dancing around her garden. She had flowers for all seasons. Such a beautiful post. I love reading yours. Thank you.
So beautiful!
Thanks Somer. Much love to you xoxo
Aw, thank you! xoxo
Fantastic post. The flowers brought back memories of my childhood and people within it.
Thanks.
Love the beauty of friendship, flowers and LOVE. xx mel
What a gift, to be surrounded always by friends and love–and fragrant geraniums. 🙂
Yes! You put that so beautifully, Emmy! {{{HUGS}}} xoxo
It’s not “getting old,” it’s enjoying the beauty of nature and the kindness of friendship.
That garden looks amazing! I’ve never seen hippeastrums before. They’re beautiful!
Dienna, you’d love hippeastrums – they come in all sorts of colours. My friend up the road has a chocolate one = OMG Amazing! Love to you xx
Nicole ~ it’s like a living card filled with warm memories, hugs and love. So beautiful!
A living card? Oh, I heart that! Hugs and love to you too xx
I can’t wait for you to see Jewel’s garden – it’s amazing! ♥ Love you tonnes xoxo
Love you and Jewel tonnes too.Sometime soon we must all get together at Jewels ♥ xx
Sounds fab – I’ll even bake! ♥
What a beautiful idea – a friendship garden.
Yes – and so simple to do. My grandmothers have taught me so many precious and wise things…
Hello Nicole,
I love your joy and connection with the present and friendships and garden/farm seasons (subtropical coastal zone) and nature’s cycles and writing and wisdom and beauty …. and for me …. you being in the ‘full bloom’ phase of your womanhood ….. I feel truly HonorednBlessednHumbled to be your facebook friend.
Not a ‘farm’ garden, but for me an inspiring gardening on many levels and I desire to share it with you … God bless you Nicole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxesOz6rRlw
PhillipTMorley OOO
Thanks Phil! Love and Light to you xoxo
Must be a family thing, this wandering around the garden at Dawn,I do the same and my garden is also full of friends gifts,the azalea Patty gave me for your birth, the Cecil Brunner rose that we all have [plus cuttings striking for 2 friends],the jasmine for Don who passed away 2 years ago and was prolific at his wake,the rock orchid from Marta..I could go on but can I please have a cutting of my rose geranium because mine has gone missing in action.Margas beloved gardenias are full of bud…oh the joy a garden brings,a wonderful place to connect with the Earth,feed and water the wildlife and have “me “time.xxxx
Gah! The naughty cows ate my Cecil Brunner when I first planted it here. Want to make me another one, mumma? Happy to get you some cuttings of the rose geranium too – after all it was yours to start off with! 😀 I can imagine you in your garden at dawn with all those happy memories and pretty plants. Love you ♥ xx