Dear Friends,
One week plus 2 days in!
I saw many families walking the school grounds, mostly distancing themselves from others. The gardens are a quiet blessing, a way station. The sidewalks themselves are becoming thoroughfares for people desperate to be outside. Take care.
I have been working on repairing the cold frames and raised beds, fixing fencing and tidying up the sheds.
Sooner or later we will be back to school and I hope the gardens will be in great shape. If anyone would like to take up one of the many garden tasks, for solitary meditation, let me know. We need post hole diggers, pruners, debris picker-uppers, compost haulers. Let me know and I'll set you up.
It IS Spring. And if you walk the neighborhood streets you will already see flowers up and in bloom:
Narcissus, snowdrops, crocuses, etc. All these welcome dollops of color come from Europe and tend to be common and the first things up. But our garden is a haven for our own rare, native spring flowers. I thought it might be a good solitary activity for child and parent, sketch book or journal in hand, to search for, greet, and introduce yourself to each species as they unfurl. I will tell you what to look for, and their names. You search and draw and date and label.
I will tell you the first native that will flower (I think)
Yellow Violet (funny name, like red blue)
Its science name is : Viola pubescens
Once it starts to bloom, you will find hundreds of them. You have to get down low and look very closely. The are gorgeous. Most of our spring ephemeral wildflowers are woodland species. So look for them under the oaks. Please don't cross fence lines because many plants are starting to poke their heads up right now, and will be damaged if stepped on.
I will try to lead you to other wildflowers as they appear. Maybe one a day, or one every other day.
If I see you in the garden, I will leave you to your own space, but I will wave you a welcome.
Mr. Leki
One week plus 2 days in!
I saw many families walking the school grounds, mostly distancing themselves from others. The gardens are a quiet blessing, a way station. The sidewalks themselves are becoming thoroughfares for people desperate to be outside. Take care.
I have been working on repairing the cold frames and raised beds, fixing fencing and tidying up the sheds.
Sooner or later we will be back to school and I hope the gardens will be in great shape. If anyone would like to take up one of the many garden tasks, for solitary meditation, let me know. We need post hole diggers, pruners, debris picker-uppers, compost haulers. Let me know and I'll set you up.
It IS Spring. And if you walk the neighborhood streets you will already see flowers up and in bloom:
Narcissus, snowdrops, crocuses, etc. All these welcome dollops of color come from Europe and tend to be common and the first things up. But our garden is a haven for our own rare, native spring flowers. I thought it might be a good solitary activity for child and parent, sketch book or journal in hand, to search for, greet, and introduce yourself to each species as they unfurl. I will tell you what to look for, and their names. You search and draw and date and label.
I will tell you the first native that will flower (I think)
Yellow Violet (funny name, like red blue)
Its science name is : Viola pubescens
Once it starts to bloom, you will find hundreds of them. You have to get down low and look very closely. The are gorgeous. Most of our spring ephemeral wildflowers are woodland species. So look for them under the oaks. Please don't cross fence lines because many plants are starting to poke their heads up right now, and will be damaged if stepped on.
I will try to lead you to other wildflowers as they appear. Maybe one a day, or one every other day.
If I see you in the garden, I will leave you to your own space, but I will wave you a welcome.
Mr. Leki
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