My Childhood Garden: Manipulation

I've been in this deep, landscape analyzing mode...wondering how and why my garden fascination began.

My story began with this plump red fruit: My Childhood Garden: Tomato Plants

Then led to the back forty: My Childhood Garden: The Woods

Image courtesy of Moore Photography

Why was I drawn to the woods (rather than our destitute backyard) as a child? I wish I could say it was a simple connection to nature, but honestly, it was more than that. The woods provided the opportunity for manipulation.

Photographer unknown.  Does anyone know who took this fabulous image?

This captivating place had sticks, leaves, soil, berries, and even some misplaced human trash that we could use to create our own world.  We would create something one day, let the weather blow it over, then start again the next.

Image courtesy of Nothin But Wood

There is something very special about creating with our hands, manipulating our environment.  Even more fun is creating something unique with whatever we have available at that moment.

I still have that urge to manipulate my environment today..whether it's reorganizing a room, trimming a hedge or painting a wall.  Manipulation (in an unobtrusive way) is such a wonderful way to connect to your surroundings and allow creative expression.

The Fairy Garden

I was so thrilled last week to see my nine-year-old daughter wanting to play in the garden...especially in the blazing heat.  She sat under a group of trees and excitedly made her own fairy garden.

After moving some bricks around, she placed some cute little plants purchased earlier that day, then carefully placed sticks and grass into a sweet little house.  She tucked some little chairs in and added a pitchfork for good measure.  We already had the neat mushrooms created by a local artist.

We're just waiting for the fairies to appear now. This is a magical way of living in the garden.