Here is a glimpse of a walk I took through my gardens….
The walk began at the edge of my shade garden… Here is a clump of "pink" Daffodils… I didn't really pay much attention to these in past years, and thought they were regular yellow centered ones. They really aren't pink, but have pink tones in the cups- more of a peachy color, with yellow frills. Just goes to show that you can look at something and not really "see" it. These are really pretty in person, but not as pink as catalogs selling them show in their photos.
These little treasures were a real great surprise!! I discovered late last summer that Vinca minor had probably washed from the spot I planted them in to an old tumbled down stone wall. I remembered them, but was pleasantly surprised by the number of plants with flowers poking out of the rocks and woods debris. I got lots of great photos that may very well end up in a few "On the Rocks" quilts this year. I am finding lots of little treasures growing among the many rocks around here.
Here is a plant that I had always considered a weed! This Lysmachia, or Creeping Jenny in chartreuse are taking over the garden on top of another rock wall. These shoots are creeping out from between the rocks- I am using these very hardy, vigorous plants as a ground cover to plant other flowers through. They are growing well in the very harsh, dry conditions of the wall garden. Sometimes there are places where "weeds" are welcome and do what is needed.
A bit more chartreuse foliage, this clump of "sweet Kate" Tradescantia make a bright spot of color in the front garden nearly hidden by Snow Glory foliage. The flowers on this plant will be a deep, rich purple- a great contrast to the foliage.
More plants growing amongst rocks…. Sempervivum, Hens and Chicks… these are reddish in color, and doing very well in the harsh conditions in my rock garden that doesn't have many survivors in it. This garden is very hostile due to it being very wet in late winter and early spring, then super dry in summer.
Linden tree buds just about to pop…. I love watching things progress in the spring, especially on sunny, blue sky days!
Wandering up to my upper garden, I found this clump of Muscari- Grape Hyacinths circling some double flowered daffs that are still in bud.
Here is another photo of one of my clumps of Rhubarb. This is a leaf with the sun showing through from the back. I think I will be harvesting stalks today!!
My final stop on this walk was the strawberry bed. We have started strawberry beds for years, but didn't have time in the spring to care for them so they never did well. This year I plan to have lots of strawberries to go with that rhubarb!!
As many of these photos show, there are many things that I have been around for years, but never "really seen". Taking a few extra moments to look closer and really see the beauty that is all around us. Watch for more photos as the days go by, and see where those photos may pop up in my art.
This is the finished 12"x12" piece shown in an earlier post. I finished the quilting in the flowers photos. You can see that I left the one flower quilted with smoke thread and the rest are done with clear. "Square Foot Flower Garden #1" is available at AndrusGardensArt at Etsy.
These two above quilts are also finally finished!! The clear thread adds to the details of the sunprints and heart-vine quilting is added to the stained glass like borders. "Stained Glass Ferns and Flowers #1" is just shy of 11"x18" in size and available at AndrusGardensArt at Etsy. "Stained Glass Maples #1" is 14"xalmost 15" in size, and available at my Artfire Studio.
I am a former textile artist and new pattern designer with a degree in horticulture, wishing to share my love of nature, flowers and gardens with everyone through my photos, sunprinted fabrics, and now pattern designs. Chronic Lyme Disease has caused major changes to the direction my life. I have to limit the amount of time spent digging in my gardens, and quilting has become more difficult. I discovered pattern design as a way to get art back into my life. I now use my gardens and photos to inspire designs that can be used on fabrics and print on demand items.
