The Garden Awakens
Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
and it is one of my favorites. I remember being in awe when I first saw this book and was mesmerized by the photographs as well as reading about Tudor's lifestyle. She loved the old times and lived that way. She dressed in old-timey clothing (making her own and buying them in antique stores), raised chickens and cows, and made her own candles which illuminated her farmhouse that was built by her son. Her garden is full of stone terraces that overflow with foxgloves, peonies, roses and all kinds of flowers. She also loved Corgis and had a menagerie of them. She believed she was the reincarnation of a sea captain's wife and her obituary says that she intended to go back to the 1830s when she died!
Yes she was very fascinating wasn't she... Wouldn't it have been a treat to meet her and tour her gardens!
ReplyDeleteShe certainly lived her life on her own terms and we are the ones who are better for it.
ReplyDeleteHi Phillip,
ReplyDeleteSomething that struck me from one of the books was that her son built the house with everything in proportion to Tasha Tudor's height - so that even the ceilings were reachable.
A unique personality, for sure!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I, too, was saddened to learn of Tasha Tudor's passing. She was such an interesting person. Her garden was an inspiration, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteJan
Always Growing
she always seemed to me the embodiment of a fairytale. Thanks for sharing this, Phillip. She really understood the important things in life. I am glad you appreciated her, too.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Philip
Oh my gosh I hadn't heard that she died. She was always an inspiration to me...she has certainly left her mark on the world.
ReplyDeleteSoooo you blog is the reason I have been thinkng about Tasha Tudor? I had childhood books on my mind all morning and just made a post about them. I was wondering why Tasha Tudor was on my mind. It's all your fault! LOL..I loved her and use to sell her illustrations on eBay. They were the most requested. She was wonderful.
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