Taking It All In

It's been wonderful hearing from so many Tasha fans here in blogland.  She will surely be missed but her legacy lives on.  It's good to rejoice over a well-lived life.  To celebrate it.  And appreciate all she gave.  I'm still pausing throughout the day to look at her books; which have inspired me all over again.  Of her many interests and talents, Tasha quipped, "I'm a Jack of all trades, yet a master of none."  I beg to differ.  I love the idea of planting roses in her memory--as Suzanne reminded me; in threes, as Tasha always did. 

Speaking of roses, we were at the Oregon Garden on Sunday, and the fragrance in this rose garden was intoxicating.  It was absolutely incredible.  I lingered here quite a long time, saying hello to every single rose. 

June is a good time to go and visit, when the spring flowers are in bloom, and before it gets too hot because there's little shade and few places to sit down.  There's one tram that now runs on the half hour circling this 80-acre parcel, which is included with the price of admission, so you can get on and off as often as you like.  We wandered around for about four hours under cloudy skies before the hot sun emerged and our feet gave out.  With three camera bugs buzzing the whole time, we took over 200 hundred pictures collectively.  I love that we have the freedom to do that now.  No more worries about wasting precious film rolls with 24 exposures.  (36 if you were lucky.)  How did I ever manage to only take 24 pictures before digital? 

Anyway, we've been trying to get back out here to this garden for ages.  I think Sarah was four the last time we visited, and now she's, um, going on eleven.  Yes, it's been awhile.  The OG project had just gotten underway at that time and was still mostly funded and run by donations and volunteers.  All that's changed now, with a beautiful resort hotel nearly finished and plans for making this a destination.   It's certainly showing potential along those lines.

Our own front yard is still a work in progress, after we literally stripped most of it bare and started over again two years ago.   So far we've managed to plant a few trees and some rather pitiful lawn, but it still has a long way to go.  I dream of this (above).  Some of the grand plans we had didn't pan out, or fit the landscape, or we ran out time and enthusiasm before the rains returned, but we are still making slow and steady progress along the way.   

A water feature of some kind seems appealing.   

But sometimes it's just hard to choose a path and commit to it.  In my mind, I'm standing in the middle here, still somewhat undecided. 

~

"A garden is not made in a year; indeed it is never made in the sense of finality.

It grows, and with the labour of love should go on growing. "

~Frederick Eden

 

Comments

[Debra]

I love the garden,so different from a traditionally planted garden. It has an organic/exotic flair that draws you in.
I too will miss Tasha Tudor. I admired her handmade items and the love she gave to whatever she created. What a women in so many ways. A true loss. Thanks for the memories.

[bethgem]

This is lovely. Ever since you posted your visit to the thyme garden - last year? - I've been wanting to plant thyme to trail over my rocks like water. I have some in now. :)

I was grateful to see your Tasha Tudor post, to which I linked yesterday from my blog. Just in the past couple weeks I have developed an obsession with Tasha Tudor, so it was a bummer to see that she had passed away. My grandmother used to love her, she always thought she was so interesting, but it took me some years to discover her. Fortunately we can still be inspired by all the art by her and books about her.

[littlem]

What a beautiful garden.

[Alice]

I will truely miss one of my favorite illustrator. Tasha was such an inspiration on so many levels. I've enjoyed seeing your beautiful garden photo's!

[Jodi Renshaw]

What an amazing place! Good for you to have experienced it. Love,
Jodi

[Tere]

Awesome photos! I love the strawberries.