The Twelve Days Tradition

Our Christmas Traditions - The Twelve Days of Christmas

I find out that the 12 days of Christmas were not the catechism in code taught to Roman Catholics in England during the time they were not permitted to practice their faith openly.

In fact, this was a well-known in nursery rhyme in the 1800's and published in books at the time.  Just the same, they are interesting and creative biblical interpretations.  Here they are: 

* The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

* Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments

* Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

* The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

* The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

* The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

* Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit - Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

* The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

* Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit-Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

* The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

* The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

* The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Our selected image today comes from the Toronto Botanical Gardens, Wilket Creek in winter 2014.

SpindleTree Gardens

Here's a vignette from the extensive gardens at SpindleTree Gardens, located near Tamworth, Ontario, close to Napanee.  This is a private garden open to the public by appointment. There is a large Orangerie, a maze, water gardens, rose garden, bridges, croquet court, and many beautiful plantings.

More on Spindletree from the website:

http://www.spindletree.ca

"One of Land O'Lakes signature attractions, SpindleTree Gardens offers a series of gardens with thousands of spring bulbs, perennial walks, rose gardens, formal and informal water features and a unique walled kitchen garden. A tour will take you through an English park setting along meandering paths past a croquet pavilion with miniature historical buildings built by the owners as croquet hoops. This year the curved wings of the newly built Orangery crown the Grand Allée, as flowering black locust trees on either side of the brick and stone walk lead down to the stone staircase and a view of the Maze and Victorian Well Cover.

The lower pond and long pond with its connecting waterfall, the lily pond with its goldfish, flowering water lilies and bronze fountain, all designed and constructed by the owners, will enchant you as you cross the arched iron bridge on your tour. The lettuce and vegetables you see in the walled kitchen garden could become part of a light lunch served to you in the Garden Tea room attached to the main house.

These gardens are full of ideas which can be interpreted within your own garden. Your visit to the various gardens will inspire both hands-on and armchair gardeners alike. Seating is available at various locations on the tour for rest and contemplation. The many architectural features located throughout the gardens embellish and frame views of flowering shrubs, trees and roses which will delight the senses.

SpindleTree Gardens constantly evolves throughout the season. Colourful spring bulbs give way to a tapestry of summer perennials, followed by the blaze of autumn leaves, clouds of asters and waving grasses. Every garden visit is a new experience."

Niagara's Beauty

The butterfly conservatory was filled with children and butterflies on January 1st 2014.

Outside the crab apple allee was showing its infinity view with its giant urns drawing the eye to the vanishing point.  Spring will show quite a different picture.

Inside the butterfly conservatory, the Blue Morphos were fluttering everywhere.  But it is difficult to get a shot of them with their wings open.  Sitting on a tree trunk with the wings closed is an easy shot.

Great Gardens on the West Coast - J. Paul Getty Museum

I didn't realize how great the garden is at the Getty Museum.  I knew about the architecture by the great architect Richard Meier, and of course, I went there to see the gardens - which I assumed would be good.  They are better than that.  They are truly great - hundreds of people were gathered in the outdoor spaces - always a sign that a garden is a truly welcoming space.

Filoli's Charm

Filoli is a beautiful historic site and garden located just south of San Francisco.  The first time I visited Filoli in the late 1990's, I had to make reservations prior to arriving, and it was mandatory to take the house tour before being allowed into the Garden.  Every time I was near a window to look out to the garden, I was told to get back with the group.

There must have been a crisis of funding as Filoli has since opened itself to the public in a gracious and welcoming way, with garden experts and docents everywhere to provide information and insight, a wonderful gift shop and a cafe under the trees for a relaxing lunch.   The garden is designed as a series of outdoor rooms on a grand scale, with infinity paths marked by tall Iris Yews and sculpture focal points.    

Filoli's story starts with with Mr. and Mrs. WIlliam Bowers Bourn, known for mining and the the SPring Valley Water Company.  The name Filoli was arrived at by combining the first two letters from the key words of Bourn's credo: "Fight for a just cause: Love your fellow man: Live a good life."

It was a beautiful sight when we were there, but I would suggest the most spectacular time is spring, and I've seen the house with the Wisteria in bloom along with the Montana Clematis hanging from the front porch. Here's a link with the front of the house shown in spring:

http://www.filoli.org/explore-filoli/the-house/

Pacific Coast Gardens

Such a different landscape on the California Pacific Coast.  The cascading Rosemary is in full bloom covering walls, along with Mexican Sage, and New Guinea Impatiens turned into shrubs.  At Half Moon Bay, I walked down a wonderful little street with original seaside homes and lovely gardens. There were great ideas for the xeriscape garden with lots of pebbles small stones as cover.

St. Catharines Garden Tour July 2013

It was a privilege to photograph the gardens on the St. Catharines Garden Tour.  What a great horticultural society - many members actively involved in gardens and in their community.  

I had a surprise as a result of this tour.  My brother's Lilycrest Gardens hybridizing field is on Fifth Street, in St. Catharines Ontario.  It is in the western part of the city and near the QEW.  One of the gardens on the tour is located on the same street - just south of his field.  It's a house I've admired for its yellow Victorian gingerbread trim.  This year I was able to see behind the hedges and experience a large 17 acre garden with historical buildings and botanical plantings in a traditional and elegant design.

First, a quick peek at what was in the Lilycrest Gardens field a little more than a week ago - it was the delicate and beautiful Lilium Pardalinum. 

And just down the street of this rural road with nursery growing fields, is the beautiful Squirrel House. 

Garden Benches

Hi everyone,
I seem to be drawn to garden benches.  They are meant for us humans, so make the garden a human place.  They are invitational to sit and enjoy, and they provide a resting place for the eye in the landscape too.

Everywhere I go, I just seem to find them.  Of course, going to a lot of gardens does mean I find a lot of them.  If you know of any beautiful benches, it would so wonderful to hear from you.

My favourites so far this there have been the Royal Botanical Gardens benches in the Mediterranean Greenhouse with that beautiful variegated Bouganvillea framing it and in the Rock Garden with the tulips framing the bench with their vivid colour display.  These pictures are from April 2013.

This last bench is in the Harry P. Lieu Garden in Orlando Florida in February.  It is particularly pretty with the Camellias framing it, and the light patterns.

All my best,
Marilyn

Romantic Gardens - Hatley House

Hatley House is at Royal Roads University, in Victoria B.C.  It is both a magnificent garden estate and apicturesque National Historic Site covering 650 acres. This magnificent 1908 Edwardian estate began as the home of industrialist James Dunsmuir and later the site of a military college until 1995 when it became Royal Roads University. The massive Scottish inspired castle is the centre piece of an estate that contains a series of beautiful formal gardens, lush old growth forests and ocean vistas.

I vote for a visit to these gorgeous Romantic Edwardian gardens...

Gardening and Gardeners - Barry Parker

Sunday was Barry's first open garden day for Open Gardens Toronto.  His city garden is laid out in a gracious classical design.  He collects rare and unusual plants, and many are displayed in tufa and stone containers.  This past Sunday, his Hellebore collection was on display.

Tufa Containers

This beautiful tufa container is in Frank Kershaw’s front garden.  It’s made by Tunde Fehervari, horticulturalist, garden designer and artist.  She’s making two of these for my front garden.  They will be installed for the garden tours May 11 and 18.  Frank’s garden is on the May 11 tour date so you will be able to see this one.

I hope you have a chance to come and see our gardens with Tunde’s work, and consider her work for your own garden.