Matters of Life and Death
Earlier this Spring, I threw some seed down and these beauties sprang from the soil. Wish I knew what they’re called. Last fall, my neighbor let me harvest the seed, she said they were an old plant and didn’t know what they were.
Not only are they beautiful, they are hardy, the soil isn’t that great, and I haven’t done a thing to them. Added bonus: the hummingbirds love them.
If you want some, leave a comment and I’ll share the love.
After several years of planning, a Memorial Garden will be dedicated in Abingdon Square Park in New York City, to the memory of Adrienne Shelly, who was killed in 2006.
“This has been a long but very satisfying journey to honor my late wife in the park she loved so much, across from the building in which she lived for many years, worked and died.” said Shelly’s husband, Andy Ostroy,who helped design the memorial garden.
Ostroy chose to stock the plot with Nikko blue hydrangeas (symbolizing understanding)
Obedience, hardy and tolerant of clay soil. Symbolizes graciousness and strength.
Liatris, also known as Blazing Star, symbolizes love.
Campanula, also known as the Bellflower symbolizes gratitude.
and Nepeta, also known as catnip, is lemon-scented with heart-shaped leaves.
Shelly’s memorial garden will be dedicated with a memorial plaque on Aug. 3.
Founded in 1836, and re-opened in 2004, Abingdon Square Park is a tiny, luscious triangle in Greenwich Village. According to neighbors, the park seems almost holy, like a sacrament in the summertime.
The park is dominated by the bronze statue of a soldier holding a flag, the Abingdon “Doughboy,” was designed to “honor the brave men who went forth from this neighborhood to join the armed forces of the United States during the World War.”
Planning a memorial garden or tree dedication? Check out our memorial stones.
My bleeding hearts are popping. So sweet to see.
How about some heart-shaped memorial stones for your Spring garden?
Weather-proof and durable, 
and best of all:
Snowdrops and daffodils are strong and beautiful. They survive harsh weather conditions, neglect, and continue to multiply.
City planners and developers love the Bradford Pear tree and it’s always an early bloomer.
The Bradford Pear has a distinct odor. Lately? I’ve been smelling a strong cat pee odor. Turns out? It’s the Bradford Pear trees!
Forsythia brings the explosion of early spring color. My neighbor sculpts and manicures his bush, trying to keep it contained. Personally, I think it looks better on the wild side, like fireworks.
The fragile beauty of the snowdrop flower pushes through the harsh elements to reveal the promise of brighter days and rebirth.
Snowdrop is one of the first bulbs to bloom in the early Spring. Usually they’ll appear January thru April and can form impressive carpets of white blossoms. Snowdrops spread, but are not invasive, so that if you come back to the same spot year after year you may feel lifted at the sight of their patient, modest increase. A gardener friend tells me there are many places around the country where they have established themselves for more than a hundred years.
Snowdrops and Carnations are both considered winter flowers and might be two ideas to consider for a January memorial service , grave side or memorial garden planting. When the earth begins to warm in the spring, a memorial stone or tree dedication could be added to personalize the sacred spot.
