And somehow, yet again, everything came into bloom. Everything at once, so here I am celebrating the cultivated and the pristine. Sometimes the owners of land, property and gardens allow access, but Colclough Garden in Tintern Abbey County Wexford, is owned by us. This walled garden was planted by volunteers and reclaimed from a ruin by them. We own it but only in so far as we citizens ever have any ownership of the flowers and the trees. “We never belonged to you. You never found us. It was always the other way round.”
And it would lift your spirits to see what has been achieved through their hard work and passion.
The moment
The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage
you stand in the centre of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
is the same moment when the trees unloose
their soft arms from around you,
the birds take back their language,
the cliffs fissure and collapse,
the air moves back from you like a wave
and you can’t breathe.
No, they whisper. You own nothing.
You were a visitor, time after time
climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming.
We never belonged to you.
You never found us.
It was always the other way round.
Such beautiful photos. I love flower photos!
Thank you Stephanie! I love them too, although I am usually more drawn to the wild kind:~))
Oh how timely as this afternoon I’m making my way to the New York Botanical Garden to experience their Impressionist garden in their Conservatory. Should be grand! Oh I love your latest article…so glad you are sharing those! I have never camped with the exception of hiking Machu Picchu in Peru and the week on the Rio Coco in Nicaragua…but some camping is on the list to explore our own National Parks here in the USA soon. So much to do! 🙂 Thanks always for sharing your beautiful images and words! Oh, and those foxgloves…always my favorite! xo
I think the world is divided on camping! I can tolerate the primitive aspects while secretly putting in place as many home comforts as possible. Never go anywhere without the old wifi!!! O wow the impressionist garden………sigh…..
so beautiful … thank you.
O thank you Susan, I’m delighted you enjoyed the colour:~)