Whether I am eating breakfast outside on our beautiful stone patio or gazing out at the rain-washed or snowy landscape through a window, I find daily refreshment in the beauty and constantly changing countenance of our garden.
When can we meet you to discuss your “daily vacation” dreams? Give us a call at 717-653-1273. Together, let’s bring joy to your garden and build your beautiful life!
Gratefully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& daily ‘garden vacationer’)
“Thus in each flower and simple bell,
That in our path untrodden lie,
Are sweet remembrancers who tell
How fast the winged moments fly.
Time will steal on with ceaseless pace,
Yet lose we not the fleeting hours,
Who still their fairy footsteps trace,
As light they dance among the flowers.”
~Charlotte Turner Smith (English poet and novelist, 1749–1806)
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (with thoughtful awareness of the fleeting loveliness of time and beauty)
The importance of pruning in caring for a garden cannot be underestimated. In fact, no plant in a garden can fulfill its role without proper pruning. As a gardener prunes, the following ideas should be prioritized:
–Pruning is one of the most important facets of plant care and garden development, but it is too often practiced without an awareness of the beauty latent in individual plants or an understanding of their roles in the garden’s composition. This ignorance shows in the hacked, buzz-cut trees and sheared-but-dying shrubs that continue to mar our roadways and neighborhoods.
–In pruning, the first commandment is: “Do no harm”. Since pruned branches can’t be put back, it is better not to prune without first understanding the where, when, and why of pruning.
–The goal of pruning is to bring out the best in each plant. Prune to bring light and air into the plant, while carefully removing dying, diseased, or potentially harmful parts. Before pruning, learn how to encourage the best growth response for the situation. This concept is the secret to long-term plant care.
As you study individual plant appearances, habits, and growth potentials in natural settings and in well-maintained gardens, you will be able to visualize how these plants might look in your own garden, with proper care.
Contributed by James Hanselman
The Gardener (& experienced pruner)
How can we assure that our garden investment grows more beautiful with each passing season into the legacy of beauty we imagine?
The answer lies in the skill of the care we provide—largely through pruning. Pruning allows us to manage a living environment to fit the human scale; in return, garden plants radiate graceful natural beauty into our daily experience.
The purpose of pruning is to create and improve opportunities for plants to grow to their potential. Although pruning tools are like a sculptor’s, plants are not inanimate objects that can be shaped or ‘finished’ in a matter of days. A successful pruner is more like a coach working with a team of promising athletes–providing opportunities and guidance while realizing the development of the team and its culture will take years of nurture. The end results are really up to the players, after all. In the same way, an experienced pruner will create opportunities and provide timely guidance for the plants in his care, allowing the plants to reach their potential over time.
Contributed by James Hanselman
The Gardener (& careful plant “coach”)
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
~ John Muir (Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, often called “Father of the National Parks”; 1838-1914)
This spring, get outside daily for a walk in nature. Even if it’s in your own garden–simply to fill the bird feeder or collect the mail. Every day, find a way to breathe deeply under trees or clouds and quiet your soul.
Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& nature walk enthusiast)
Expect to nurture your garden investment. Skilled gardeners learn how to properly “coach” a garden to allow it to flourish naturally. Quarterly pruning for plant health and guidance is recommended.
Pruning techniques allow for a variety of “finishes” to plants, ranging from wild to formal. Knowledgeable pruning preserves future growth and provides long-lasting beauty, while managing size and appearance.
Over time, the quality of the maintenance provided is the most important factor in determining a garden’s value and longevity.
Gratefully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& beneficiary of a nurtured garden)
If you take joy in your garden, let us take care of it and extend its beauty and delight into the future. Please contact us for information about our garden maintenance plans: 717-653-1273.