One of my true enjoyments are gardens.  When I was first married and lived in a condo with a concrete patio, I started to delve into container gardening.  I grew plants from seed – especially herbs.  Found cuttings of succulents I liked and cactuses.  Grew bulbs of irises, freesias, tulips, lilies and had many many more over the course of a few years.

The patio became a haven, not just for me, but for a little of the urban ecosystem in my neighborhood then.  It had regular visitors — orioles, blue birds, hummingbirds, finches, squirrels and the cutest little frogs and lizards.  The garden thrived.  I discovered that I had a “green thumb” and benefited from how powerful gardening can be as a means of connection to the vitality inherent in nurturing and caring for living forms.

 

 

Now that I am divorced and starting the process of creating a new life as a single mother,   I find that I want to create and nurture a garden once again. This time my 34 month old son will be with me and I hope to foster a similar affinity and affection for gardens.

My son and I discovered a little seedling of a basil plant that had sprung to life from a potter in our backyard.  It seemed to me that it was signaling that it is time for gardening and to begin a new life.  I brought it into our home and set it by the kitchen window.

 

 

On many an occasion, out of a simple enjoyment of the garden for the day, I have drawn or painted the themes before me.  Here are a few of these.

 

Garden Flowers, Watercolor, 10 in x 8 in, 2010

Baby Hummingbird, 6 in x 8 in, Colored Pencil, 2010

 Little Hummer, 8 in x 6 in, Colored Pencil, 2005

Bird of Paradise, 24 in x 20 in, Acrylic, 2005

Tropical Colors, 24 in x 20 in, Acrylic, 2005

Cayena, 24 in x 20 in, Acrylic, 2005