As a kid, cataloging my collections was half the fun. I collected glass animals.
Made lists, rearranged them, carefully attending to how each was beautiful in its own way. In the garden, choosing cultivars is just one of each, like bon bons in a chocolate box.
Part of the joy is cataloguing them. Each Japanese maple has its own piece of Garden Jewelry, its name on glass, wrapped in wire and beads. [will post pic on IG]
I’m finally replanting my grandmother’s garden.
In 1996, living in 2nd floor apt, my only option was to line the outdoor staircase with pots. My neighbor was passionate about bonsai, already adept at being careful around wee potted things. [will post pic on IG]
Drenched the entire staircase and balcony in flowers.
Between the stairs and the bldg. there was a 10x20’ spot in full, dry shade.
By golly, I researched my fool head off, and put in a spectacular shade garden.
That’s where I fell in love with sweet woodruff. It flourished, and was beautiful.
I now realize dry shade is one of the hardest gardens to create.
It showed me I can create beautiful spaces.
Oh, wanted to tell you how to make the tags! Tempered glass, diamond cutting blade to notch the four corners so the wire sits in the groove as it winds around the edge. At the top, twist the wire 3x, like a bread tie. Tighten with jewelry pliers, near the top of the twist – it will snap off if you grab the twists at the bottom. Use a diamond ball dremel tip, to write the name on the glass.
[Callisi purr] Such a lovely girl. All white, long-haired Turkish angora kitty cat. She’s stunningly beautiful. She has a gorgeous ruff, pink ears and nose. Not albino, has colored eyes, but skin is pale, and ears can get sunburned.
[Derailed myself, was explaining how to make Garden Tags. Will revisit this later, because they’re really cool. I’ll post pics on IG.]
Oh, that banging you hear? My neighbor is getting siding put up.
[more purring]
Her name is spelled Callisi. Last year I traveled to Santorini, and bought a long, yellow Grecian gown from a dressmaker whose label is Callisi. Softer, fits her better. She was tense when she got here, and didn’t need any more warrior energy from the GoT spelling.
With cat fencing, they have about half an acre to ramble. I love having a house in the middle of the fencing, not at the edge. At my old house, the back was fenced, but the front door was the barrier to the world. Always shutting the door quickly gets old. Now they wander with me thru the house, the yard, garages, woodshed, and greenhouse. It’s so much gentler to have the house in the middle.
As a Master Gardener, I used to write the descriptions for the Garden Tours. I’d visit in May so the owner could tell me about them. They’d drift into telling stories of gardens, of childhood memories. Such a joy to witness them lose themselves in storytelling, speaking the beauty they created. Their gardens showed how garden rooms bring magic, vignettes, a place to sit. My plain lawn will soon be a glade of Japanese maples. I like to hire handypeople based on what they really enjoy doing. I ask what task they like most, then hire them for that. There’s a fellow I found who says he’s happiest just digging holes, and I’m happy to let him make homes for the maples.
Recorded May 7, 2023 on the Magic Porch
Cat fencing: Purrfect Fence is arched at the top, and bathtubbed at the bottom, they can’t get over and they can’t get under. I made my own version, based on their design, and bought their sleek kit for areas visible to others. No kitty as ever gotten out. Reach out on IG if you’d like more info. @kimberlyplayoflight, just learning, bear with me.