Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Zen Garden Accoutrements

Fragrant Jasmine Climbing Vines

Have been languishing on the couch for nigh onto a week, now, following doctor's orders for a speedy recovery from an annoying anemic condition.

You'd think, with all this lollygagging, I'd have plenty of time to be blogging but there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Flowering Plum Bonsai

First off, I had to perfect my Sudoku skills. Then, I saved 4 college kids from a spooky fate at the Dire Grove mansion (computer game,) AND! I spent copious amounts of time drooling over several bloggers' gardens who simply have it altogether.

They've got stone walkways that actually lead somewhere. Fancy solar lighting and ~ best of all ~ outdoor living spaces that look nicer than my indoors!
 Guess.

That got me thinking about the one shady corner of my property where I could easily create a secret hideaway, with fragrant climbing vines, trickling water, bamboo chimes, maybe a goldfish! But, most definitely lots and lots of cool, green, soothing, squishy... Irish Moss?

Is that breaking the rules? I think Zen-y Gardens are supposed to have sand but I'd be off my rocker to install more sand in this high plains desert.

So, whaddya think? Inquiring minds want to know.
PS: Thanks so much for all of the kind comments and well wishes you sent my way. You're the best. Much nicer than my doctor! :) Bad Dog's back to normal and I'm gettin' there...

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

The irises in your banner are so achingly, persistently, beautiful! Nothing like flowers coming up through the snow...

*sorry, I got sidetracked*

The zen-ness reached out and grabbed me. I want some of that. :)

OmegaMom said...

Dire Grove was awesome. I am eagerly awaiting the next one.

Keep resting up, get your strength back.

And Irish moss would work wonderfully in a Zen garden. Moss provokes contemplation, too, y'know; you just can't make designs in it.

Victoria said...

Beautiful beautiful photos...so lovely! Yay..glad to hear you are both on the mend..keep sparkling!
Kiki~

Amy said...

Kate, I, too, am a Sudoku fan - it's how I start every morning, kind of a tuneup for the 'ol brain!

The bonsai is very lovely. Hope you're feeling yourself soon - no pressures, no worries, languish away I say - Spring is coming!

sweetbay said...

I'm glad that BD is better and that you're getting your prescribed rest. :)

KC said...

Glad to hear it! Does that mean FAC is back on this week?

Will said...

Those flowers are beautiful, so simple. The one in the background of the first photo though... well I won't go there.

Happy WW!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kate~~ I hope you're well on your road to recovery.

As far as creating the shady corner of your dreams, may I remind you that rules are made to be broken. Go for it.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

They're Crocus, Titanium. I'm glad you like them -- they would happily grow for you in Alaska! PS: I'm gonna make a gardener out you yet! :))

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Omega;
Well, you turned me onto those games. I just loved Return to Ravenhearst. Dire Grove was sooo well done! Now I'm hooked. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Kiki. Jasmine reminds me of New Orleans. I love that fragrance... And, it grows so fast -- so I think I might make it a summer outdoor plant in the new zen-y garden. :))

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Amy!
I agree! It's a nice quiet way to work the cranial appendage! A friend of mine, also named Amy, gave me a year of Sudoku for Christmas and I'm really enjoying it.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Sweet Bay;
I've been cooking up homemade dog food for my boy. It's hard work but if it helps it's worth it..

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hey, KC;
I'm in for FAC! We could do the Cottonwoods if you like. BD has to stay home. So this could be a good day to do a no mutts allowed trail. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Will;
I forgot all about Wordless Wednesday! I'll stop over to see what you're up to... And, that's a bud, by the way, so behave yourself! :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Grace;
Yours is one of the gardens I was drooling over yesterday. Love what you've done with the place! :)

Snowcatcher said...

All the flowers in your under-the-weather posts are beautiful. I'm sorry you're not feeling well and hope the sunshine comes back soon. Inside and outside.

Forest Garden Girl said...

Haha- I am a Sudoku addict as well! Haven't gotten into video games because I could foresee far too hours spent. My computer guilty pleasure is Free Cell Solitaire.

As for your Zen Garden- The sand is representative of the sea (hence the raking of "waves" into it). I don't see why you can't have mounds of moss representative of cool green mountains or fields, since it seems you have plenty of "sea" in your parts. Maybe you could go ahead and also isolate a small "pond" of sand for zen raking!

Lona said...

Hi Kate. Hope you are well soon. Cannot have you sick.
Your Jasmine is so pretty. Wish we could smell the aroma on these blogs.;-)
Your Zen get away sounds so good. Moss would be good in it. I know what you mean about so many beautiful gardens and outdoor rooms out there. I have drooled over so many of them LOL!
Lona

Liza said...

Sometimes you just need a break, you shouldn't feel bad for that. Your readers will wait for you!

I love the idea of a secret garden. I started one two years ago for my neighbor and realized pretty quickly that it would be for me as well. I can't wait to continue tricking it out! Not today though, because it's ridiculously cold!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thx, Snowcatcher;
It's nice to be getting my energy back. Bad Dog is becoming quite ornery since he's not allowed to take a walk. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Fab idea, Forest Girl!
I'll make a little sandy spot to play with...

PS: I tried Free Cell but I lost all the time and that started messing with my self-esteem. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Lona;
It would be fun to have a fragrance widget on some of our blogs... but then I spend tons of time on cooking blogs - that might inspire all sorts of over eating! :))

donna said...

Amazing that you aren't feeling well and still manage to be funny. Nobody would accuse me of being amusing while I'm sick.

The Jasmine blooms are absolutely perfect looking.

Get well, stay well my blogger friend.

donna

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, my dear. You could probably grow Jasmine indoors. I did in Minnesota. :)

Spice said...

So pretty!!!! I bet they smell great! Happy WW!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thx, Liza; Very sweet of you to say. I'm getting more and more excited about creating a Zen garden hideaway. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Spice!
I completely forgot about WW. Will scoot over very shortly to see what yer up to... :D

D said...

Kate, happy to hear you are on the mend and hope you're taking some iron. (that's motherly advice)

The way you describe the idea of your Zen garden sounds perfect to me. There is one section of our garden that has mostly evergreens, a few maples, rocks, a statue, ground covers - several kinds of creeping thyme, scotch moss, phlox... and it is like our Zen garden where we stroll quietly and enjoy the silence and simplicity.

Stay well.

kate smudges said...

Love your Zen garden sign. Moss would look so much better than sand (well, to me it would). Mostly, I just dream about creating all sorts of gardens and am thankful that I don`t have the room to do so. That would be far too much work. I, too, am impressed with these gardeners who seem to have it together & have time to blog and spend time on twitter. The jasmine climbing vines must be a joy. Their blossoms are beautiful and I can imagine what a wonderful scent they have. I hope the anemia is leaving (I`ve struggled with it for years & end up getting iron shots when things get dire. It`s amazing, though, how our bodies adapt to it though.)

Iron Needles said...

Hey, Kate-I have been thinking of you, but been too immersed in my own pity party with my souvenir cold, along with thinking 'wth? it's March...why is it still so much like winter?!?'
Glad Bad Dog is doing better, and hope you are up to snuff soon as well.

Iron Needles said...

PS Both of my 'holiday' cacti are blooming. Now they think they are Lent cacti???

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thx for your kind thoughts, Di;
Creeping thyme! Good idea. That will be squeezed into my grand plan, as well. :D

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Oh, Kate; I'm sad to hear that you are suffering from the iron thing, too. I've not experienced this before and it's a hard mental adjustment to not have enough energy to do the things I love to do. I am missing the horses big time...

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Sending healing thoughts your way, Iron. I can do that much. I wish I could melt your snow, too. And, mine! I KNOW there are more crocus bulbs blooming under these deep drifts. And, more snow in my forecast... Thank goodness for indoor blossoms.

Melanie J Watts said...

The flowers are lovely and I bet their smell is out of this world. Lolly gagging is good for the soul and the body. I was diagnosed with anemia a year ago. now after a 4 month course of iron pills, I feel lots better.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE anything Zen...go for it with gusto!!

I hope you continue to feel better. It's so frustrating to be derailed!!

Cynthia Oakes said...

Sounds like you're living the zen:

A bird in a secluded grove sings like a flute.
Willows sway gracefully with their golden threads.
The mountain valley grows the quieter as the clouds return.
A breeze brings along the fragrance of the apricot flowers.
For a whole day I have sat here encompassed by peace,
Till my mind is cleansed in and out of all cares and idle thoughts.
I wish to tell you how I feel, but words fail me.
If you come to this grove, we can compare notes.
~Ch'an master Fa-yen

Friko said...

I came via 'Next Blog'.
your pictures are breathtaking.
I am also a gardener but I garden in the relatively easy climate of the Welsh border in the UK.
Nothing doing yet, it is still too cold.
happy gardening!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Melanie!
I've discovered a number of bloggers with this 'condition.' I need a quick recovery but I guess that's not the norm.. :(

Thx, Jeannie!
Appreciate your good wishes.

You've got the beat, Cynthia! When I get my Zen-y garden all decked out a poetry reading is in order!

Hi, Friko;
So, nice to meet a UK garden blogger! Heading over to your place to a pay a visit right now...

jan said...

Glad Bad Dog is on the mend. I hope your illness did not ruin your March horse plans. I brought back way too many bulbs from the Philadelphia flower show, but I haven't got them going, yet. Two more amarylis, three hyacinth and a dozen or so paper whites. Even though the trees are blooming here, I can't get enough spring bulbs!

Rose said...

I think a Zen garden would be perfect, and it's your "Zen," so put in Irish moss or whatever you want! I love to visit Japanese gardens; last summer I saw the largest one in the U.S. in Portland, Oregon. Just walking through it made me feel more peaceful and less stressed out. I keep thinking I'd like to find a little corner for one here, even if my daughter thinks I'd botch it up. Anyway, go for it! And put in whatever makes you feel good.

Hope you are feeling better--you must be a Sudoku master by now:)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Jan!
I have exactly 7 days to get healthy... I'm going on that horse vacation even though I'm not in the best of shape. Can't turn down a dream trip!

Thx, Rose;
This new Zen garden will be a very fun little hideaway...

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Hope you are feeling better. I just spent 3 hours catching up on 5 days worth of others' posts... and haven't even done any posting myself. I could easily spend all day online, but... what about real life, LOL! I love that little ceramic Buddah!

dictionar german said...

Beautiful beautiful photos... they are so simple and so fascinating