Thursday, March 7, 2013

Garden Gates


Have you ever noticed how enticing a garden gate is?


It is an anticipation of the pleasures in store, hinting at what lies beyond. It brings to mind the book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which may be the most evocative book for anyone who loves a garden. It is one that lingers in the memory forever.


A garden gate is the transition between two spaces, the threshold into the retreat that the gardener has created. A whiff of honeysuckle may hit us, gravel crunches under our feet, a pathway beckons us to move forward. Expectations, garden secrets, surprises, the dazzle of a fountain, the language of flowers, the poetry of herbs all take us back to a childlike wonder as we contemplate the garden sanctuary just beyond the gate.


And there it is. This private Eden created by the gardener. We enter this magical spot, this outdoor room. We are bathed in sunlight and inspired by color, texture, and scent. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the fragrance of rosemary wafts through the air. A place to think, to dream, to reflect on the beauty of nature. A place to count our blessings.

Photo from "Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden"

This is the time of the year when gardens start to come into their own. Garden tours will be happening all over the country. Go here to find out about the Garden Conservancy Open Days program which allows access to more than 300 stunning properties across the country. And if you live in Los Angeles, don't miss The Robinson Gardens Annual Garden Tour.

Visit the public gardens in your city, enjoy your own garden if you have one, or think about starting one of your own. A small vegetable or flower garden is a great way to begin. There are wonderful how-to books to get you started -- The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch is one -- and also inspiring books for the armchair gardeners out there who just want to admire --  Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden by Judith B. Tankard is another. And when you travel, be sure to find out where the gardens are. I will never forget my trip to Paris when I was 21 and spent part of each day in a small garden on the Ile de la Cite reading my mail and writing postcards. The time in that garden is one of the most vivid memories from the trip. Visiting a garden will slow you down, help you recharge, and figure out what's next.

Spring is right around the corner!

First four photos via Pinterest     

16 comments:

  1. I shall go to sleep dreaming of garden gates leading to....

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  2. I love the mystery of a garden gate. Yes, it is the time when things are beginning to wake up.

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  3. Beautiful pictures and words! I have next weekend off and plan to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Though very different from the gardens you show here, it is a sanctuary in the midst of a bustling city and one of my favorite places on earth.

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  4. Oh what lovely gates...
    and that Jekyll garden is sumptuous!
    Our wee tom thumb daffodils are blooming and the crocus are putting on a show.
    Spring is definitely closing in on us here too.

    Enjoy your weekend.
    Hostess

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  5. As I look out my window and watch the snow fall, your post is a perfect breath of spring - thank you!

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  6. The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books when I was young. I adored it. Coincidentally, I've been having a desire to paint our side gate to the garden an "off" color, something unexpectedly for our home. And that Jekyll garden is so beautiful, I just want to wander down the path....

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    1. Kathy, I think you should. How about a vivid raspberry or green color? It feels very English to me. I love the colorful doors on so many of the houses or shops in England.
      xx Sunday

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  7. My favourite garden gate is the one in the garden of Hilltop, Beatrix Potter's home in Cumbria.
    Pure magic.

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    1. Pamela, I want to go to Hilltop. Maybe on my next trip. It is always so hard to figure out where to go in England because I want to go everywhere!
      xx Sunday

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  8. Beautiful! Here's a poem that I was reminded of reading your post:

    The Gardener's Morning

    The robin's song at daybreak
    Is a clarion call to me.
    Get up and get out in the garden,
    For the morning hours flee.

    I cannot resist the summons,
    What earnest gardener could?
    For the golden hours of morning
    Get into the gardener's blood.

    The magic spell is upon me,
    I'm glad that I did not wait;
    For life's at its best in the morning,
    As you pass through the garden gate.
    - Howard Dolf

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    1. Gaili, that couldn't be better! Thank you so much for the perfect poem to fit this blog post, I love it!
      xx Sunday

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  9. Oh those photos are so evocative of The Secret Garden. Adding it to my tbr list right now!

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  10. There is just something about gates and doors, giving the hint and suggestion of what lies beyond. Beautiful pictures and inspiration. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  11. Oh,the Secret Garden took me back to the warm,sunny days of childhood (why do we always think of those days as Sunny especially here in the UK?).

    My G/parents had a walled vegetable garden with a shabby greeny/brown door I use to pretend I was in the secret garden, bliss.
    Have you read 'The Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll' by Richard Bisgrove? it was printed in 1992,and has some of her best planting plans.My HB gave it to me for my birthday back then.I think you would enjoy it.Ida

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  12. Lovely photos! Thanks for sharing them here. I must be one of those rare few who have yet to read The Secret Garden, but have recently been inspired to rectify that soon. I have a feeling I'm going to be in for a real treat. :)

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  13. Loved this post! I reposted it on my gate website - www.ornamentalgateworksetc.com - because it was so beautiful! Thanks for sharing . . .

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