Wednesday, January 15, 2014

My Grandmother's Garden

It is funny how gardens reflect the personality of the gardener.


Last week I flew to Texas for my Grandmother's funeral.  This is her garden, meticulously kept up for the past while by my aunt.  Her garden is all in order, organized and tidy, just like my Grandma liked things to be.


I always remember my Grandma as an elegant woman.  She had an eye for artistry and collected some beautiful things, a few of which she displayed in the garden.


She liked roses.  Several different types were planted in her garden, and a few were still blooming even in January.


My Grandmother also always had a good sense of humor, and didn't believe in taking life too seriously.


The garden looked so pretty even in winter.  I would have loved to have seen it in the spring or summer, with all the roses and lilies and birds-of-paradise blooming.


My grandmother would have said that this is the cycle of life.  
She will be missed.

17 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear of your loss Indie. Clearly gardening is in the family genes but I am worried about your comment that 'gardens reflect the personality of the gardener'. This would explain a lot about me...lol... random & slightly crazy. :-)

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    1. Ha, I might be in trouble with that, as well - I think my garden would label me as 'unorganized and a little wild'!

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  2. Dear Indie,
    I am sorry about your loss. I hope you are doing well.
    Best wishes for you and your gardening.
    -Jay

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    1. Thank you for the well wishes, Jay. I appreciate it. As far as gardening goes, I am eager for spring!

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  3. Sorry for your loss. Its funny, that home immediately said "Texas" to me, must have been something about the brick color. She had a very restfully landscaped garden that must have been nice to look at all year. I'm sorry for your loss, what part of Texas did she live in? The Gulf coast, I'm guessing, if she grew Birds of Paradise...

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    1. She actually lived in West Texas. The backyard had irrigation. Her sunny front yard actually looked quite different, landscaped with gravel and more like what you would think of as West Texan landscaping.

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  4. Indie, my condolences on your loss. Your grandmother certainly did have an eye for artistry in gardening and I know you've inherited her talent. It is very hard to say goodbye to our loved ones; I'm glad you were able to visit her garden one more time.

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    1. Thank you. I was very glad to visit, other than the circumstances, as it had been a long time since I had been there.

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  5. I'm so sorry for your loss, Indie. How wonderful that your grandmother's garden has been maintained by your aunt. I'm sure your grandmother would be pleased to know that her legacy is being carried on by you in your own garden, too.

    I've often wondered what my garden says about me...a neighbor once told me it reflected my hippie days. Not sure what she meant by that; I grew up in the 60's, but was never a hippie:)

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    1. Ha, that is an interesting thing to say about a garden - anything extra interesting growing there? ;)

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  6. Sorry to hear about your loss Indie, your grandmother’s garden looks like one I could be happy in, it’s organized and tidy – just like my garden is. I am sure my garden is reflecting my personality and my house looks the same too, organised and tidy. Most people appreciate that, some people feel it is slightly OCD to have it that tidy around you, to me it’s just the way I want it and what’s natural to me.

    I hope spring is arriving soon to your part of the world, nothing beats a bit of gardening therapy for getting the cobwebs out of the system!

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    1. Average last frost date here is mid-May, which is obscenely late to me! We'll see if I make it without some sort of other kind of therapy! :)

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  7. My sympathies on your loss. I never met either of my grandmothers, and felt the loss of not knowing them.
    My garden is a wildlife haven, tidy enough along the paths, but otherwise given over to nature.

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    1. I never got to live near any of my grandparents, though at least I got to know them. I am happy that my kids get to see their Grandparents often, which is something I really missed.

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  8. I am so sorry for the loss of your grandmother. Her garden is truly special. I hope you inherit at least one special thing from it that you can put in your own garden to remember her by.

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    1. Thank you. My aunt has pretty much taken over caring for the garden and put a lot of work into it, and my Grandfather still lives there. I have several things from my Grandmother that I really treasure, though. My favorite things, though, are all the old photos that I received. It's such a great thing to pass things down through the generations!

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  9. Your Grandmother had a beautiful garden... thank you for sharing. You will always cherish your memories of her.

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