notes and musings from a perennial gardener
The Main Buzz
More breathtaking images of the meadow at Longwood by staff member Matthew Ross. Many thanks to Matt Ross, Matt Thomas and Longwood Gardens for allowing me to share them. Matt certainly captured the meadow’s stunning beauty in this special collection.
Once a year in autumn, Longwood Gardens’ Continuing Education program offers a one-day en plein air art class in their incomparable meadow. (En plein air is French for “in the open air”.) These outings are always fun and a bit of a thrill for me. The abundant wildflowers, the other artists, the atmosphere generally, the resulting art – it’s all quite inspiring.
Most of us go into our gardens in the mornings, after the sun is up and the dew has dried. Or we’re out on the patio for lunch or weeding on an overcast afternoon. We might give our beds a passing glance during a cookout.
Seldom do we think about appreciating the garden after sundown.
That’s usually when we’re busy with dinner, TV, meetings. But dusk is precisely when many flowers release their strongest fragrance, and the palest colors glow with an intensity not possible in daylight. If you want to get more out of your garden, consider an evening stroll. Some people plant “moon gardens” or all-white cultivars for admiring at dusk, but that’s not necessary.