“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” – Hal Borland (American author, journalist, and naturalist; 1900 – 1978)
Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (with deep gratitude for another good year)
Thank you for your trust and friendship this past year. We wish you and your loved ones much joy in this meaningful holiday season, and look forward to serving you in 2023!
Sincerely,
The Hanselmans
Photo shows James and Betty, with four of their children: Carol (with Scotty and Evie), Lisa (with Geoff, Rowyn, Norah, Marlowe and dog, Bronte), Ian, and Lowen. Unfortunately, due to illness and distance, Audrey (with Michael, Hanna, and Freyja) and Nicole were not able to join us for this year’s Christmas tree hunt.
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
~ Edith Sitwell (British poet; 1887-1964)
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (with gratitude for winter joys)
“It’s all in the attitude, you see. You can toil and sweat and grit your teeth and subdue the earth. Or you can toil and sweat and keep your eyes open, your ears alert, your nostrils quivering, your hands ready to reach out and touch. You can work with senses alert for the experience. You can BE instead of DO. And then your work will take on a spirit of gratitude, of joy — yes, of playfulness.”
~Emily Barnes (from Time Began in a Garden)
(Alternately, you can let us be the ones to do the work and bring joy to your garden with our customized maintenance plans. Give us a call: 717-653-1273.)
“Though they tamper with materials, the Japanese strive to idealize nature in gardens that give the impression of naturalness . . . But Japanese garden designers have not regarded stones as material through which to express their own ideas, as the stone sculptor does . . . . If there is an aesthetic element in this, it is the aesthetic of discovery . . . . Questions of moral and aesthetic awareness must take precedence over gardening techniques and skills. In other words, a beautiful mind is essential to the creation of a beautiful garden.”
~ Teiji Ito (Japanese composer and performer; 1935-1982)
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Grateful wife of a “beautiful mind”
If you are an artist like Betsy, you will not likely find scope for imagination and visual refreshment if the view outside your studio window is a haphazard collection of scrub bushes, concrete, dirt, and weeds. It was her need for artistic inspiration and a visit to Japan that led Betsy to seek garden builders that would realize her dream for a restful, beautiful space within the confines of the tiny, fenced-in courtyard outside her studio. It was the creative vision of designer James Hanselman and the exquisite craftsmanship of Ben Hanselman and Bob Lichty that were able to fill the space with the inspiration, serenity, and refreshment Betsy now enjoys from her studio and revels in daily.
I invite you now to compare the uninspiring “before” shot with the “after” images which reflect the transformation brought about with the creative vision, skillful craftsmanship, and intense dedication of the Hanselman Landscape team. (Join me after Thanksgiving for glimpses of the process by which Betsy’s unique, Japanese-inspired “nobedan” patio took shape.)
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& grateful VP)
