“The world will never lack for want of wonders.”
~ G. K. Chesterton
This week, I hope that your eyes and ears, indeed your whole being, will open to the myriad wonders all around you in creation, and that your heart will fill with awe at its beauty!
Shared sincerely by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& wholehearted ‘wonder watcher’)
James’ first official “children’s garden” was commissioned by a church preschool director who desired a natural play space for the little ones in her care, where rocks and trees replaced plastic and metal as the structural elements. Since then, he has had the privilege of designing many garden spaces with children in mind. Now that we are grandparents, we are delighted to see the creativity with which grandchildren and friends alike enjoy the garden spaces James has incorporated around our home.
Shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& advocate of “natural” playgrounds)
Natural elements–sand, gravel, rocks, trees and grass–provide delightful sensory stimuli for little explorers in a church pre-school courtyard and in a private rural garden, Lancaster County, PA.
“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”
~ Iris Murdoch (Irish and British novelist and philosopher; 1919 – 1999)
Can we bring the joy of flowers to your garden in the form of bulbs and flowering trees and shrubs? We’d be delighted to enrich your lives in this exquisite way, now and in the years to come.
Shared with delight by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& flower fanatic)
As grandparents of nine lively granddaughters, we understand the immense value of delightful outdoor spaces for running, playing, pretending, exploring and discovering.
Nurturing our garden has been a labor of love, often with our granddaughters in mind. And as we anticipate their next visits, we imagine their adventures in our outdoor garden rooms: Which trees will become their outdoor playhouses? Which rocks will they climb? Which trees will become their favorites for hanging the hammocks? Which meadow grasses and wildflowers will adorn their outdoor “dining tables”?
We hope to offer them beautiful spaces to play in now while they are young and precious memories to treasure well into their adult lives. Providing delightful outdoor experiences for them now and a living legacy long after we are gone is important to us.
If creating a living legacy is a priority for you too, please contact us to begin a conversation: 717-653-1273. We’d consider it a tremendous privilege to partner with you to create a garden that will enrich your life and delight those you hold dear.
Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& grateful Grandma/Nana of nine precious girls!)
“The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.”
~ Hanna Rion (American author, artist and plant enthusiast; 1874 – 1924)
When James and I were dating, one of our favorite walks took us through the “Garden of the Five Senses” at our county park in Lancaster, PA. There, we lost ourselves in the scents of fragrant herbs, in the varied textures of moss and Pine needles underfoot, in the vibrant colors of flowering shrubs, in the melodies of birds in the branches over our heads, and in the sweetness of fresh, cool air that filled our lungs as we lingered. It was a special place, set apart–our secret garden, since we were often the only ones there. And it truly was a place of refreshment and restoration as we left to join the fray in the real world of everyday living.
We have not forgotten that garden. In fact, James seeks to create the sensory restoration we experienced there in each garden he and the Hanselman Landscape craftsmen design and build. If you long for refreshment and restoration in your own garden, we invite you to let us be part of the joy! CALL US TODAY to begin the creative process: 717-653-1273.
The P.J.M. is one of the earliest-blooming Rhododendron varieties, displaying vibrant, pinkish-lavender blossoms in early spring. As a slow-growing evergreen shrub, the P.J.M. works well as a natural barrier hedge and adds life to other evergreen plantings.
It grows best in acidic, ‘humusy’, well-drained soils. Good drainage is extremely important, since the P.J.M. does not like ‘wet feet’ and is susceptible to root rot. In fact, raised planting beds are a good idea for this variety of Rhododendron, especially in areas with heavy clay soils. Although the P.J.M. can withstand greater temperature extremes than other Rhododendron varieties (in zones 4 – 
, it should be planted in an area protected from winter winds and out of full sun, preferably in sun-dappled shade. Besides being a resilient and beautiful plant once established, the P.J.M. Rhododendron is also deer-resistant, which makes it an attractive choice in areas where deer are a threat. In recent years, many new varieties of ‘Early’ Rhododendrons (offspring of the P.J.M.) have been introduced and do quite well
in our area (Mid-Atlantic).
Making room for several P.J.M Rhodies outside your windows would be a delightful way to invite spring to host a party in your garden!
Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& jubilant spring party-goer)