Photography – Page 10 – Gardens For Goldens

Resolutions for Gardeners and Rescuers

A list of New Year resolutions gardeners and rescuers.

In the new year I vow to:
Nurture more. Feed the earth with organic nutrients; plant smaller to grow stronger; and mulch…mulch…mulch.

Protect more. Save precious resources with earth-friendly products, preventative pest measures, and judicious use of water – something that will be in short supply again this year.

Re-use more. One man’s garbage is gardener’s compost; cuttings and divides extend the garden and can be shared with others to create their own.

Welcome wildlife. The garden is for sharing with all.

Even those mischievous bunnies.

And appreciate the beauty of all seasons – including the dry, dead stalks of winter.

Resolution thoughts for my rescuer friends:
“Accept the pain, cherish the joys,

resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions – ‘If I had my life to live over again, I’d do it all the same’” ~ Joan McIntosh

Welcome the New Year with joy.

Bow to Winter

Just a week ago, the garden still managed a display of fading, but beautiful color. Then came the cold.

From west to east across the nation, the freeze is on. The garden has bowed to winter.

“Autumn to winter, winter into spring, Spring into summer, summer into fall, – so rolls the changing year, and so we change; motion so swift, we know not that we move” ~ Dinah Maria Mulock

Record-breaking overnight lows have burst pipes and snapped the flowers from their stems.

The frost lays like a blanket of crystal ice across the landscape.

The sun shines for a bit…until the icy cold blows in again.

Fur coats, shorter outings and warm hugs keep the dogs safe and cozy.

At home, white lights and frost covers protect sensitive plants.

But the Memorial Garden is in the country and on its own while this cold snap drags on…and on…and on.

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” ~ Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Rose

A Wooded View

“You only need sit still long enough in some attractive spot in the woods that all its inhabitants may exhibit themselves to you by turns.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Lest you think I never leave the garden. 🙂

The Coming Cold

The squirrels know. It’s time to store away and prepare for cold.

The Sacramento Valley has true seasons; it’s one of the reasons why things grow so well here.

But the overnight temperatures we are expecting this week can wreak havoc on sensitive plants and fruit trees.

True cold does not usually arrive until January, but this week we’ll see night-time temperatures in the mid 20’s..and that is way too cold for our newest orange tree. Planted in honor of the beloved Shelby, it should be well protected from the hard frost thanks to a special tent which lets the sun in during the day and keeps cold out at night.

Because the garden is on its own during the week, we just have to do the best we can to prepare it. This means we don’t cut our perennials way back until spring, with the withered leaves and stems providing some protection for the plant crown. We also ignore the blanket of leaves which serve as insulation until the danger of frost has passed sometime in mid-February. They also help to keep some moisture in with the water turned off.

Where do butterflies go in such cold?

The Dahlia bulbs have been tucked into a dark box and covered with vermiculite for cold storage in the garage. My favorites are labeled with gardener tape.

But we can pretty much say goodbye to these last hold-outs from the season. They have served us well.

Hello to winter grasses, pruning chores and dreaming of spring.

Good thing we have pups to keep us warm.

Fall’s Grace

“For the Fall of the year is more than three months bounded by an equinox and a solstice. It is a summing up without the finality of year’s end.” ~ Hal Borland

This blank spot in the perennial bed signals the end of a season, as the Dahlias have been lifted and stored for the winter.

The weather this weekend was beautiful after a stormy start to the week, so Daylilies were divided, bulbs planted,

and giant holes filled in the yards where dogs chase bunnies. Who me?

The light is beautiful in the garden at this time of year.

Although most of the brilliant blossoms have faded away, a few remain and it is as if the sheer warmth of the sun bathes the garden in gold;

it soaks up all the magic that goes on here.

Where big dogs come to find homes,

tiny dogs are nurtured,

blind dogs see that they are surrounded by love,

and old dogs can sum up their own seasons in sanctuary and peace.

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace, as I have seen in one autumnal face.” ~ John Donne

Divide and Conquer

“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.” ~ Elizabeth Murray

The garden looks especially beautiful and welcoming in the fall light.

Though the blooms are fewer, their rich colors pop against a canvas of turning leaves and warm brown grasses.

Ina’s asters have finally arrived, draped over the fence like a bee’s blanket of purple.

Maria, has of course, dressed the garden for fall.

Her holiday displays may not bespeak a memorial garden, but they certainly make a beautiful backdrop for our posing dogs. This is Ella.

Princess and Duke – all new arrivals.

With Maria and Ina both on hand, it was a perfect time to tackle the iris bed.

Peggy and Steve had a good start, but work has called them away. With three of us on scene, we decided to finish the lifting and dividing. From the size of the bulb clumps, it was pretty clear they had been left for years – a first, forgotten effort in the garden.

While Ina and Maria divided, I dug trenches and raised berms in a semi-circle.

We have decided to plant the sunflowers in the center next summer as the Willow Tree has taken their sun. During the other months we will fill with annuals to keep color in the garden year round.

It’s pretty amazing what the three of us can get done in a day when we put our minds (and backs) to it. We went home dirty, tired, but satisfied.

“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.” ~ Emile Zola

Wordless Wednesday: Petal Party

Seasons surrender

The season is definitely upon us.

It seems like it happened in an instant. One day the garden was bursting forth – and the next, the leaves were falling, the buds were smaller,

and the bold colors of summer were replaced by a palette of oranges, blues, purples and browns.

Summer surrenders to fall.

I’ve written about surrender before. To me, it is the hardest part of rescue, and something I will never get used to.
More and more, the garden has become a place for families to say their final farewell.

The garden was always intended as a place for farewells and fond remembrances, so I suppose it is fitting that families spend their last few moments with their beloved dogs in a quiet, secluded corner of it. Today, it was a father and son saying a tearful goodbye to their pup. No pictures. It would not have been right.

And then, Ben & Jerry – two more arrivals later in the day.

I did not meet their family. I know these two will be scooped up right away. Still, I cannot imagine what goes through a dog’s mind and heart when their whole lives change in an instant.

When I was young, we never had an opportunity to say ‘goodbye’ to our pets. Our parents made a decision – and one day they were gone. I can’t even remember what we were told. Maybe I choose not to. Proper goodbyes – no matter how hard – are important for us humans. I wonder what the dogs know.

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.” ~ Winnie the Pooh, A.A.Milne

I am glad that we are here for them at Homeward Bound. I am grateful to everyone who supports our efforts. And especially so to the families that give these special dogs a new season of their own.

A Wedding in the Garden

This weekend, the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden created a brand new memory – our first-ever wedding.

Susan and Frank are volunteers of Homeward Bound. Susan walks dogs, feeds and provides companionship to our sanctuary dogs; Frank is an awesome talent who helps to keep our vehicles running. Susan also sought help for her beloved Stella – a story shared here.

Artistic, and completely unconventional – Susan chose the garden as her venue. There were probably more than a few raised eyebrows over the decision to have a wedding at a rescue, but in the end, I think everyone would agree it was a perfect place and a perfect day.

The garden is peaking, but waited just long enough to play host to the event.

Susan loves fall – so Maria and I arrived early to ensure that fall was on full display. Grapevines and garden flowers draped the arbor;

twig wreaths added a fall touch to the training pavilion where the reception was held…

and the simple bouquets were from the garden.

About 100 invited guests and a couple of special dogs (Susan’s Stella among them) were joined by uninvited guests: frogs and lizards (much to the kids’ delight) –

and the farmer’s combine which chose Saturday to begin the harvest. Thankfully, they stopped working about 90 minutes before the ceremony.

The garden has always been a special place to Susan – she has followed its progress in person and on this blog since nearly the beginning.

I was touched (and terrified) that she would trust her photos to me and Rob. I’ve tried not to share too many personal shots here as she has not seen them yet, but I’ll hope she that she won’t mind my few selections. We were all touched by their decision to request donations to Homeward Bound in lieu of wedding gifts. What a completely unselfish and generous act on behalf of the dogs.

The garden was always meant to be a place for fond remembrances. The love that filled it on Susan and Frank’s special day is a reminder that it is also a place where we create new memories. An unattributed quote: “The garden is a mirror of the heart.” Saturday, the garden mirrored two very devoted hearts. What a joyous day it was.

Congratulations to Susan and Frank with this hope: “The strongest and sweetest songs yet remain to be sung.” – Walt Whitman

Grey Skies

Saturday, the skies turned dark, thunder clapped, and we were treated to a brief downpour – unseasonable for us this time of year. The garden is loving it.

With the cooler temperatures and extra drink, everything burst forth in bloom.

The light was different and the colors more subdued – but beautiful bathed in warm grey.

Love the sound of these wind chimes in the rustling trees. My idea of church.

I’m really pleased with how these drifts have developed.

Inspired by something I saw in Fine Gardening magazine, and purchased as 3″ plants from Digging Dog Nursery, they have grown to full size in one season and now provide a bridge from Ina’s Cottage and California gardens to Maria’s Herb and St. Francis beds.

I was very pleased to meet this gentleman as well.

His name is Renji and he is a total charmer. Wish he were mine! I suspect he’ll be scooped up quickly.

I heard a story on the radio today. Jerry Saltz, an art critic for New York magazine was talking about Jackson Pollock, the painter. When he made his first famous drip painting, he supposedly turned to his wife and asked: Is this a painting?

That’s how I feel about these. ‘Are these photographs?’ Or simply disasters?

I dunno. Something made me save them from the ‘delete’ folder. Maybe someday, my disasters will be as sought after as Pollocks’ drips. A girl can dream.

The sun will be back tomorrow…and you know where you’ll find me.

Our Joy

The garden served up its usual beauty this weekend. Fall is beginning its advance and the flowers and their friends are grateful for the more moderate temperatures and cool nights.

Their appreciation is clearly on display.

But the most beautiful moments of the weekend did not involve flowers. First, new bricks were installed in the Memorial pathway.

I donated this one for one of my very first blogger friends, Deborah at Romancing the Bee and her beloved companion recently departed – the Noble Bayard.

The garden hosted the usual parade of pups. Hank took up residence on Steve’s lap –

Fozzie Bear, who just recently arrived, made his first trip to the garden –

beautiful Sting relaxed in the shade, exhausted from playing in the sprinklers –

while Lilly practiced her table manners.

In between, two great tales unfolded. First, Sydney – a special needs Golden who has pretty significant separation anxiety, found her perfect match in a family that did not see that as a special need at all.

She went home with her new beautiful brother, Gunner.

The two of them will have perpetual human company serving by day as greeters in their family’s store – Material Goods in (get this) – Carmel. Yup. Carmel By The Sea. I was hoping that they would adopt me as well, but some dogs just have all the luck! You can visit them there.

And that was just the start.

The story is told in full on the Homeward Bound blog (click here to read), but I’ll summarize here. A wonderful family with three beautiful children – adopted themselves – with incredibly giving hearts. On Thursday, they met Ollie, one our longer term guests.

Deaf, with skin issues, and a golden heart – he had been passed over too many times. On Sunday, they met Mariposa. A tiny, malnourished and scared little girl who had not been treated well in her first year on earth.

Two extraordinary dogs with special needs – who have found a very special home – with a beautiful family and a new brother named Sailor.

People ask about the often bittersweet work of rescue: “how can you do it”? With weekends like this, how can you not?

The joy is ours.