Winter offers us time to plan and dream about our gardening ventures for the spring and summer, and the peak season arrives faster that a zinnea seed can sprout. Now is the time to take inventory of supplies in the garden shed, and freshen and restock where needed.

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Do you have durable pruners? Check out Felco pruners here. You will be clipping with ease with any of Felco’s pruners and saws.

image borrowed from Society Garlic blog

And, what about your gardening gloves? Are they as tired and worn out as mine?

I just picked up a new pair of sunny Mud Gloves. Check them out here.

And, my poor, poor hand hoe/weeder…. I simply can’t part with it.

I bought it probably twenty years ago at Smith and Hawkins and it has by far been my favorite hand tool. It makes for quick weeding as I pick and pull my way through the beds. If you don’t have one of these

then you can buy it here.

And, then there’s the poor, downtrodden, and abused wheelbarrow…

After one too many loads of hauling heavy stones for a garden wall, it’s time to go to Home Depot for a new one.

True Temper Wheelbarrow

Hope this check list helps you get your garden shed in order. It’s a little early for spring fever, but I always seem to catch it too soon. I can’t wait for my sleeping garden to wake up and look like this again…

I had been eying an SLR digital camera for some time but I silently vowed that I would not progress beyond my Canon point and shoot until I learned how to use all the functions it had. However…. I fell one morning with my camera in hand while taking photographs of swallowtails that had just emerged from their dreamy chrysalis sleep.

Swallowtails emerging from their chrysalises

The eternal optimist that I am, I  firmly believe that for every negative there is a positive, and voila- hello Rebel Canon T2i!!

photography lessons at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

To fill you in between my fall and my trip to Birmingham: I took my camera to a shop to see what repairs, if any, could be made, and while there I took a look at the Canon Rebel T2i just for kicks. Well, the rest is history. I had no problem justifying the purchase – after all my camera was broken, albeit not beyond repair, but in my business I can’t afford to be without a camera. A month in the repair shop simply wouldn’t do. Right? Right.

Now I have this wonderful new camera with meager knowledge as to how it functions. But, I just so happen to have a fine young son who is a talented photographer and owns a similar camera. And, I just so happened to be planning a visit to see him in Birmingham…

Troupe was so excited about my new purchase and growing interest in photography that he arranged for us to spend Saturday morning in the  Pepper Place district where the farmers market is located and some fabulous gardening, antique, and architectural shops.

flower booth at the farmer's market

After feasting our eyes on the vivid colors of the produce and flowers we strolled around the corner to find a lovely garden shop…

Thigpen Garden Gallery

Beautiful Garden Shop

Entry way into Thigpen's nursery shop

Following a couple of “must have” purchases and taking lots of images under Troupe’s tutelage, we wondered across the street to Architectural Heritage. There we came upon exquisite architectural pieces for the interior and exterior. As we wandered through the gated outdoor area we found beautiful European architectural elements: urns, fountains, tables, iron, gates, etc. Perfect for instantly aging your garden.

My patient son waits while I continue to improve my photographing skills in one morning. He’s a great teacher and my Saturday morning shopping was all the more sweeter with his company. Thank you, Troupe.

In my article “The Lure of the Land”, I said that I get a true sense of place by knowing it’s flora and fauna. When traveling I focus on the mix of the people in the area- their accents and mannerisms; and the landscapes. It is how I best remember a place. In August my sister and I went to visit a close friend in the D.C. area. Along with fabulous sight seeing, shopping excursions and seeing Mary Poppins at the Kennedy Center, a visit to the National Cathedral Bishop’s Garden was a highlight for us.

Portal into the Bishop's Garden

We entered the door onto a stone path that meandered underneath the shade of massive trees behind the Herb Cottage.

“The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired”.- St. John of the Cross.

Lavender path to the Shadow House

A baptismal font from Charlemagne’s time :742-814.

"You are being rooted and grounded in love". Ephesians 3:17

The rose garden and the Prodigal Son sculpture.

Rose Garden and Prodigal Son sculpture

Prodigal son sculpture

A seating area for reflection along the perennial border.

"Be Still and Know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

A combined effort of Fredrick Law Olmsted, Jr. and Florence Bratenahl, the wife of the first dean of the Washinton National Cathedral, turned the surrounding acreage into a haven in the center of a bustling political city. The gardens are maintained by the horticultural staff of the All Hallows Guild, founded in 1916. For more information and photographs click here. I was there in August when many of the flowers were past their prime, but the grounds are so beautiful on their own with the stone work and classic architectural elements that it has a luring and peaceful appeal for each season. During your next trip to D.C. put your  Soul in Balance by spending some time in the gardens.  

Carry your gardening spirit where ever you go with Kate Spade’s iphone cover. Isn’t this fabulous?!! The colors lift my spirit and make me want to stop what I’m doing and stroll through my own garden. There’s just something about flowers that soothes and energizes the soul and Kate gets it with her vibrant designs.

Get the details from here. I’m ordering mine today!

I’m not the trendy type of gal who is always up on the latest – I tend to stick with classic designs, finding that I save time by not chasing the newest, must have thing on the market. BUT…there is this current trend that is classic in nature in which you might be interested- the garden stool and it has become increasingly popular.  My sister who loves to keep up with the latest keeps me abreast of what the trends are and what I supposedly can’t live without. This spring she mentioned that her daughter was in search of a “garden stool”. I didn’t know what she was talking about, but soon learned that was the name of the ceramic pedestal table I have seen in her house for years.

Not long after our conversation I was working with a client on a courtyard plan, when one day I went  to the site and there was a turquoise garden stool. How coincidental, and of course, I now had to have one! Here’s a picture of mine and how I use it- more as a piece in a grouping of plants than as a side table. If I’m in need for a drink table I can easily use it in a functional sense, or as it was intended centuries ago- as a garden seat. The picture below the grouping shows how the stool can be used as a side table. I would so love that whole scene, wouldn’t you?

Find garden stools anywhere from Target to Frontgate- check them out and let me know if you’ve found the garden stool as irresistible as I did!