“Spend time in a flower garden. Stay there as long as you wish, but make sure your visit is long enough to take in the various charms that the world of blossoms and petals provides. You can sit in a chair or on the grass, lie down looking up at the flowers from below, or walk around. However you choose to spend your time, be aware that you are a guest in someone else’s home ā nature’s ā so act accordingly.
“If the day is warm and sunny, savor the rays and imagine how the flowers must feel at this very moment. Look closely at the variety of blooms, at the different shapes and colors, at the way the individual blossoms grow out of their leafy sheaths. Now use your sense of smell to take in the stunning array of fragrance, all of which can be divinely overpowering.
“Keep an eye out for the various animal life that also lives in the garden, the birds and squirrels, the insects that fly, the ones that crawl. Notice how intently they go about their business, how they move from place to place trying not to notice you but in fact finding that task difficult. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the garden, the chirping and humming, and the movement of the stems and leaves in the mild breeze.
“Now see if you can transcend your individual senses and feel the presence of the garden inside you. Try to become just another flower, at home in the garden as if you were in your own house or place of worship.”
ā Alan Epstein in How to Have More Love in Your Life
Categories: 2013 Project 365, Flowers, Nature
Emily Carter ~ Nature as Art 
You have time to tend a garden?
I do have moments of gardening in my day. Not anything like I used to do. I used to do it full time. Found new interests after five years of hard labor. š
Spent some time in the garden today. Both work and play. Satisfaction in both!
Oh how wonderful ! And I know your garden must be glorious.
True. I can spend hours on ends looking at each of leaf of plants and all insects and animals. It’s heavenly. Just finished planting some herbs in a planter today. The carrots and basils are starting to sprout. Now all we need is Sun.
You’re growing carrots? I’m assuming this is a real garden then. Carrots are hard to grow without them getting all funny looking. Good luck with that. I’d be more than happy to share our hot sun this week with you for some rain.
Lovely images. I like the excerpt too.
Isn’t that wonderful prose? It is so insightful and really brings in how we need to connect with nature. Thank you.
Ah….try to become just another flower. What a wonderful thought!
Indeed. Think of it, being able to sway and bend at the slightest breeze. To feel the breath of a hummingbird. To be cooled by the morning dew.
Herbs and roses outside and cactus inside
– my favorites and probably the only one (or 3) I can manage well … “hahaha”
Now that’s interesting – cactus inside? Hum…my philosophy in my garden is – if it can’t handle a drought (because I’m too lazy to water) than it doesn’t belong there.
Castus are “crazy” about me of the same reason I’m to lazy with the water – so the cactus has wonderful days at my place – I have often cactus with amazing flowers – and people ask why – it’s because they are too buzy with the water… “hahaha”
The outdoors is my church and my sanctuary.
It is mine as well. Thank you.
Green is beautiful. The problem for me is that I sometimes (or often) have to choose: garden or photography…
Time to merge both then Bente.:-) I do understand. Gardening is hard work. It’s now time to trim and weed already.
Wonderful assortment and good on you for taking the time to do this.
Thanks Phil. I spend about two days driving around buying and planting them. A bit of water and they’re ready just outside the kitchen door. Some are perennials and I don’t do a thing. I just enjoy!
Great looking series on display in your garden, Emily. I need some thyme for a recipe, could you shoot me some? š
You bet…beaming over Thyme now. š
That’s an inspiring piece of prose, and your collage is green with vibrancy… š
Thank you so very much. I really do love that reading and so happy to be able to share it with others.
Great post and beautiful images of the herb garden! How I would love to have more time to spend in natures home š
Somehow I think none of us have enough time. That is, unless you’re a full-time gardener then it becomes work. š Thank you so much for your kind comment.
Great Captures! I finally decided this year to grow herbs and has been a successful venture so far. Happy Monday:)
Herbs are great things to grow Renee. They grow so easily and need literally no care except for water. Then you get to enjoy them when cooking. When I have a surplus, I dry a mix and keep it for winter.
Love your pics, Emily. Epstein’s words are so true, a bit like that quote about taking time to smell the roses. š
I think we all can learn to spend more time slowing down and appreciating the world around us. I have to thank photography, and now birding for really putting me on a different plane of existence. It is a truly wonderful calm place to be.