Last Saturday was the Western Mass Master Gardeners Spring Symposium. I was honored to share the bill with Julie Moir Messervy who was the keynote speaker. I talked about worm farming and Julie talked about garden design and her new book, Home Outside.
Julie had a lot to say, but she set the tone immediately for me in her talk and in her books when she says that her aim is to help us all create our own Pleasure Ground.
A Pleasure Ground is exactly what I am aiming for in my garden. There is the Rose Walk which is a glory in June when the peonies are also blooming. That’s when we invite in friends and anyone passing by for our Annual Rose Viewing to share the pleasures of stopping to smell the roses.
There are the pleasures of watching grandchildren play on the lawn.
There are the pleasures of resting from chores in the Cottage Ornee.
There are the pleasures of an abundant vegetable garden.
We all have ways of defining our own Pleasure Grounds – and it is a pleasure for me to visit so many Pleasure Grounds as I travel the garden blogs.
What a gift for my eyes to see all the green! Thank you for the pics. I'm interested in the cottage and its name. :<)
I just found the post on the cottage! What a great place. I love it.
Nan – I loved all the green, too. The term cottage ornee is an old fashioned landscape term, from when people built follies and ruins on their estates. We LOVE our Cottage. You have to say it with a French accent.
i like your cottage too. and i really like the idea of a pleasure ground. everyone needs one whether they realize it or not.
irena
irena – a garden is the perfect pleasure ground as far as I’m concerned.