Homeward Bound Memorial Garden Sacramento – Page 4

Accidental Gardener

I am an accidental gardener. Come to think of it, I’m an accidental everything: gardener, photographer, blogger, and rescue supporter. These were not planned; I was just drawn to them and happened upon people who graciously showed me the way.

A fellow blogger, Helen Johnstone of the Patient Gardener’s Weblog, shared a new book: the “First Ladies of Gardening.” Normally, a title like that would put me straight off. But I admire Helen’s blog, so I ordered it. And I’m so glad I did!

I did not grow up with gardens or gardeners. I vaguely recall that my grandmother grew flowers to inspire her paintings, but I spent very little time with either. What I have learned has been the result of trial and error, as well as lessons from my gardener partners at the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden.

In “First Ladies of Gardening,” I learned names like Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West – whose directive “cram, cram, cram” I already follow – and Beth Chatto, who believed that making a garden was like making a family.

But there is one gardener whose spirit I admire just as much as her garden: Margery Fish and her cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor.

Margery Fish did not begin gardening until she was in her forties. Quietly rebellious – the author shares – she allowed small plants to grow in the crevices of her husband’s perfectly groomed paths, and inadvertently stopped watering his “proper” plant choices in favor of her leafy, wild and rare perennials. New plants that mysteriously appeared were explained as “gifts” that simply could not be refused. The garden – once a jungle – was planted in abundance and self-sowing seeds were left to distribute unexpected surprises that kept the garden looking natural and unfussy.

Margery Fish believed that you can’t rush a garden. You need to get the feel of its surroundings, and then it grows by degrees.

Our Memorial Garden has grown this way. Pushing out and overflowing its ever-enlarged beds, blooming with donated gifts,

filled with surprise remembrances,

and dressed – of course – with dogs.

I think every garden needs dogs.

We have a long way to go to match the majesty of East Lambrook Manor, but I am filled with inspiration.

And did I mention…dogs?

Something to Dream On

“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.” ~ A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

With a brief, but welcome rain this week, followed by unseasonably warm temperatures, the garden truly came to life.

I should stop saying “unseasonably warm” and just get accustomed to it. Those who don’t believe in climate change surely are not gardeners.

Sarah is back; returned from a year of hard labor on the graveyard/weekend shift at work. We have missed her in the garden.

I love getting to the garden early before everyone else arrives. It’s my chance to survey and see what has newly popped up,

begun to blossom,

or made its way into the garden beds thanks to those mischievous elves.

This is my time to take a few photos,

and to enjoy the company of the garden creatures; nesting Killdeer…

worm-hunting Robins…

sleepy lizards…

and rare yellow ducks.

My solitude is broken by the play of puppies in the adjacent yard…

and dog walkers – not just passing through – but stopping to sit and play now that the weather is warm.

“You have to give people something to dream on.” ~ Jimi Hendrix

We give you the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden in spring.

Seeing the Flowers at Our Feet

“A garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself.” ~ May Sarton

No garden is perfect. When I post photos to the blog, I work around spent blossoms and rarely select the ones with tiny bugs.

I try not to share too many sad dog stories. And I most certainly avoid sharing our occasional “moments” with each other. Everyone has them. They are an expected part of our rescue effort which requires passionate people from all walks of life working together. People just crazy enough to come back time and again despite the inevitable heart breaks.

Maybe it paints too perfect a picture. We set high standards for ourselves and each other. And sometimes, we fall short.

Bringing plants together in a garden for the first time creates a kind of temporary chaos. Ideally, they provide mutual support and a complementary scheme that falls together in an effortless blend. In reality, there is usually a bit of a learning curve and adjustments are predictable. Some shine brightly and risk overshadowing others;

some spread and inadvertently crowd out.

Roses require constant pruning, feeding, deadheading and fussing.

Asters think they rule the world.

Bee Balm just does its thing and prefers to be left alone.

Once a plant’s nature is understood, a few simple moves can make everything blossom harmoniously. A garden finds its melody and individual notes are welcome – even with imperfections.

“In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

As individuals, we are as imperfect as the garden. And yet, somehow, we come together to accomplish great things. Kaylee came to us a few months ago. She was emaciated, diabetic and blinded by cataracts.

Her diabetes was brought under control and she gained fifteen pounds, making her eligible for eye surgery to remove the cataracts. A couple of weeks ago, Kaylee met the faces of the people she knew only by sound and smell. She caught a ball.

And she started running like the wind with joy as her sail. Our dog photographer, Rob Kessel, captured her beautifully through each stage. You’ll find links to her galleries below.

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are not perfect. Far from it. But with a few adjustments, we come together to make good things happen.

Kaylee’s galleries:
Kaylee on Arrival
Kaylee Can See!
Kaylee Today

With Good Company

“A single leaf working alone provides no shade.” ~ Chuck Page

It was a great weekend at the rescue and in the Memorial Garden where I was joined by Maria, Anna, Peggy and Steve. It’s unusual for so many of us to gather at once. With a moderate storm in the Sierras above us, the skies looked ominous.

Steve assured us that it would not rain. He lied. But before the brief shower sent us scurrying for cover, we managed to get a lot done. Steve, Maria and Anna muscled the last of our weed tree stumps out of the ground.

The hideous black plastic bucket that covered the stump for months soon held the evidence of its permanent demise.

Anna’s mom, Lynn, donated nine bags of oriental lilies. We thought we were getting nine bulbs!

Peggy set to work planting them. Their fragrance will soon fill the air.

Anna is a weeding machine. A woman with a mission, she is systematically eliminating every last trace of crab grass –

while Rob has been busy rehabbing the real grass.

We’re blessed that so many young people want to support our mission of rescue. We had a full crew of youth volunteers this weekend.

This is Sydney with Woody;

and new walker, Sierra, with Sequoia.

Another of our hunting dogs was adopted. Let’s just say that some “going home” photos are easier to capture than others!

Remi was SO excited to be with his new little brother, Parker! No dogs were injured in the making of these photos. They loved each other at first sight.

“No road is long with good company.” ~ Turkish Proverb

Spring Greeted in the Garden

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” ~ Ruth Stout

Saturday was a picture perfect early spring day, which brought out all kinds of visitors to the garden: dogs,

lizards,

snails (by the thousands),

and Rocky! Our resident snake is back and apparently well fed.

And if the geese hadn’t found such a buffet in the wet field next door, they would probably have been in the garden as well.

We could have used the extra helpers. Twenty beautiful antique roses were gifted to us (thank you, Marguerite!); lifted from their home in Napa and delivered in a packed SUV by Maria. Since they were quite literally “bare root,” they needed to be planted right away. We sorted them by size and color, dialing up Anna’s mom, Lynn – a rosarian, for reference.

Somehow, Maria, Anna and I got all twenty planted in one afternoon. Somehow, we found space for them! In between there were “going home” pictures to grab. From across the garden I hear the holler: “photo needed!” It is an interruption that I am always happy to accommodate. Happily, there were quite a few:

Frankie,

Brandi,

Three of our hunting dogs, including Drake who found himself a family of boys,

and Bailey and Bandit, who found themselves a home together with a couple of girls.

But the best picture of all was a simple snapshot taken a few days earlier, capturing the smiling faces of Riley and his new mom.

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Wordless Wednesday: Reawakening

Catching Up

For those of you suffering through snow and ice, let me catch you up on our Northern California garden!

The Narcissus arrived – a bit early thanks to all that water in December (and woefully, none in January).

The roses took a final bow following a brief freeze…

and let us know that their time had come. January is the month for pruning roses In Northern California. By my count, there are 41 of them in the garden proper with another 20 along the perimeter. To help get the job done, Ina brought a fresh recruit. Beth is a knowledgeable and focused gardener – and a great addition.

St. Francis, Patron Saint of Animals, took a serious tumble from his housing in a high wind storm.

Sadly, we were unable to revive him. Given his stature, a proper burial was planned at the base of the podium. Because of conflicts with her plantings, however, Maria wanted to save space and lay him to rest with his head upright.

While discussing the inappropriateness of this plot, Scrappy misplaced his ball, adding insult to injury.

The plantings were displaced to create a proper resting place; the ball was retrieved…

and disaster was averted.

You might remember Yule – the frightened dog that Maria took home to foster. Well, that was two weeks ago, and she is not showing any signs of giving him up at this point! He has adapted really well at home and become much more confident and clearly relaxed.

He is an excellent garden dog. Another great addition to our team.

Late in the day, one of our longer term residents went home. At only six years old and gorgeous, you’d think that Ernie had everything going for him.

But he is one of those very independent dogs that doesn’t connect right way to people. Not to mention that his manners were less than perfect. He went home for a time with our dog photographer/whisperer, Rob, to work on those. Today, it paid off. His new people spent a lot of time with him and learning about him. Their “going home” photo (thanks Rob) reflects a match that was worth the wait.

Happy life, Ernie!

Fall whispers farewell

The garden is tucked under a blanket of leaves.

We’ll let it wear this thin cover through the winter to protect sensitive perennials from frost while feeding the soil.

I am always surprised at how quickly the garden can fade; from brilliant oranges, reds and golds

to a canvas of grey and brown.

Not dead; just moved to a new state of slumber as if to say, ‘let’s rest awhile.’ It is a well-deserved. Fall whispers farewell.

Last year at this time, two weeks of record cold and frost were upon us. Unheard of for our area, it stole – overnight – the last color from the garden and resulted in more than a few casualties.

This year, we are blessed with successive days of warm rain. The last roses shine like neon against an earth-colored backdrop.

The long-term forecast says we will not yet escape the drought – but the outlook improves somewhat. For this we are very thankful. With the grey skies and the holidays upon us, the pumpkins were promptly dispatched to the compost pile

and a living tree was moved in.

While the décor has changed, we are still filled with the spirit of giving thanks. Our kennels are only half full after so many “going homes” including eleven of our twelve puppies –

Only sweet Titania remains. We have promised her a home by Christmas.

The breeder dogs that came in recently are all spoken for, including this beautiful pup – surrendered for a heart murmur. One person’s “defect” is another’s great fortune.

For once, the pace is relaxed – with time for enjoying each other’s company as well as the company of dogs.

Our own well-earned rest.

“And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,
No longer blown hither and thither;
The last lone aster is gone;
The flowers of the witch hazel wither;
The heart is still aching to seek,
But the feet question ‘Whither?’” ~ Robert Frost

Fall’s Last Loveliest Smile

“Come, little leaves,”
Said the wind one day,

“Come over the meadows
With me, and play;
Put on your dresses
Of red and gold;

Summer is gone,
And the days grow cold.” ~ George Cooper

The garden is looking splendid, adorned in its fall colors. Ina’s asters have spilled over the fence in a wave of purple…

The roses are on parade and playing host to all kinds of creatures (look closely)…

and our golden pups are happy to lay in the garden and yards, soaking up the autumn sun.

We played host to special visitors today. Greg Gayton is a manager for Green Acres Nursery. I’m sure many of our plants looked familiar to him – their three area stores are a little too conveniently located near me and Ina. In fact, the flowering plum that we planted last weekend made its way here from there. Although Greg has donated many plants personally, he had not seen the Memorial Garden in three seasons. Back then, I’m not sure he gave it much hope. A lot has changed!

I was sorry that Ina and Maria were not here to meet him. He and Ina speak the same language; Botanical Latin. It’s Greek to me. And I’m sure Maria would have enjoyed touring him and picking his brain about her new California Natives yard. Brody, his beautiful Golden, originates from Homeward Bound.

His family is equally stunning.

“Autumn. The year’s last loveliest smile.” ~ William Cullen Bryant

Wordless Wednesday: Finally Fall

A little rain must fall

“Dark clouds become heaven’s flowers when kissed by light.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore

We were blessed to wake to rain early Saturday morning.

We are grateful for every drop during this long drought. Rain meant a day of dogs instead of gardening. Time with the pups; another blessing.

Sunday, then, brought twice the load of garden chores; fall is such a busy time in the garden – second only to spring. The day also began with a beautiful fog blanketing all of Homeward Bound including our Memorial Garden.

The soft light captured the fall colors and turned them into illuminated canvases.

Peaking through, I caught a glimpse of couple of favorites out for a stroll: Miss Dazy…

And Victor Mature.

Inside the shed, I found this touching note:
To the garden angels,
This is Rusty’s companion, Rosie. Three weeks after we lost him to Hemangiosarcoma, she let us know she couldn’t go on without him and we lost her, too. Could you put her in the rose garden next to Rusty?
Thanks, Carole

They belong together.

“Be still, sad heart! And cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining; thy fate is the common fate of all, into each life some rain must fall.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Happy Homecomings

We like every dog to know they are special, but when you help hundreds of dogs each year on their journeys home, being original about naming them can be a little difficult. So each month, we turn to themes. Composers, poets, artists…and this month: cars. I know. It’s just wrong.
Meet Mercedes.

And Rambler.

But Odyssey?? Just look at that disgust on his face.

Selecting cars as the theme this month turns out to be a bit apropos – given how much time our teammates just spent in them.
This is Marley.

He is an extremely thunder-phobic dog who happened to live in Illinois: not good a good place for dogs afraid of thunder. He is so frightened by thunderstorms that he will hurt himself if left alone during one. He is very closely bonded to his sister, Harlo. So the decision was made to send them together to a place where thunderstorms are extremely rare. That place is the Sacramento Valley – home of Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Miss Harlo is a mellow girl, who made the trip by plane without incident. But Marley was having none of that. Even sedated, he freaked out. Time for the Golden Taxi!

Three teams of two relayed to ferry him two thousand miles over three days. Last night he was reunited with his sister in a touching welcome home. (Thanks to Rob Kessel for capturing the moment.)

Because special needs dogs need special plans, we had already contacted a family on our waiting list. Previous adopters, they were looking for a canine companion for their Ella. Instead of one, they fell for two. It’s a perfect match!

Tonight, Marley and Harlo are beginning a new chapter together in a loving home.

Meanwhile, I have been reunited with Maria – one of my bonded gardeners who went A.W.O.L. for three weeks and finally returned. I was so happy to have company again, I let her dress the Memorial Garden in silly fall regalia.