The SC has finally made it to the garden! The purple iris have just passed their prime, and play parallel with the cherub on pedestal that I discovered at an estate sale several months ago. I have a late start, but have been motivated by a dear friend who has fallen in love with my rose garden. Marge is a retired nurse with a beautiful, warm and engaging smile and a heart of rich gold. She enters through my back gate once a week at 6:30 am and stays for at least two hours. She is lovingly transforming this small peaceful plot of earth into a magical space that has been my vision for years.
She doesn’t want to accept money in exchange for her efforts, but I insist. She says she just loves the process of playing with plants and physical transformation. I call her the ‘angel of the garden’ and look forward to her visits and gifts with deep gratitude, making plans for other areas of space in need of attention.
Photos by Diana
When I return home from yoga, I join her in the back garden and find myself continuing to work for hours after she leaves. She has activated my love for creating beauty in the space surrounding my sanctuary. Digging in the earth while wearing my new powder blue gardening gloves feels grounding and meditative and planting my pots is an exercise in creativity. Choosing and coordinating the colors and textures of plants is similar to composing an outfit.
Though Diana caught me off-balance as I fell forward in my orange pumps in the dirt, I made a quick recovery and held my ground. After all, Marge is coming tomorrow and I want to be ready for another morning of cultivating my exterior landscape, which surely will calm and nurture my inner spirit as well.
Vintage estate sale and Gypsy Collection bangles, estate sale earrings and flea market vintage bracelet on fabric hat by Briggitte NYC.
Orange patent leather peep toe pumps – summer retail sale years ago.
Asymmetrical block striped white/grey tunic – yard sale several weeks ago and white cropped pants – retail summer sale last year in Florida.
Patti’s back and we’re all gathering at Visible Monday HERE at Not Dead Yet Style for the festive weekly party that is not to be missed!
What an amazing friend to have, Judith! She is a true angel. I can tell your spirits are brighter in the garden…you look so joyful. May the week bring you more laughter and flowers!!
I think we could all use someone like Marge in our lives! Those are pretty awesome shoes, but not very practical gardening footwear 😉 You look very happy in your lovely garden – hope it brings you many hours of peace and tranquility over the summer.
Gosh how lovely to have an ‘angel of the garden’ – so glad she has reignited your own passion for creating beauty in the garden. The purple irises are still gorgeous. You’re already so skilled at creating beauty with your clothes, my dear, I love this striped outfit, casual and lovely on you. AMAZING shoes, and I love the laughing action picture!
I love the iris. They are among my favorite flowers, so voluptuous. — I think that we are often caught off balance and have to make a quick change to maintain our ground. I know I am becoming expert at this “dance,” and I suspect you are practiced as well. Love the orange pumps!
You and your garden look fabulous! How wonderful to have a garden angel.
Oh! – So nice in your garden. It’s too bad we can not exchange the plants. I have a light iris but would like a dark too. You look so happy and wonderful to have a garden engel. Do not talk about your amazing orange shoes 🙂 – I love it.
Hey Judith–you look so cute, I am posting your to our board on Pinterest! xoxo Paula
I love your off-balance photo, Judith! As much as I always think of you as very elegant and poised, I also think you laugh a lot and have a highly developed sense of fun, which this pic captures perfectly!
Oh Marge sounds like a wonderful woman – as does the ever-faithful photographer Diana – and I love the thought of her letting herself in to your garden early in the morning to work her magic.
Beautiful nautical-inspired outfit and amazing shoes – but change out of them for gardening, white trousers and heels aren’t your best bet for getting down in the dirt! xxxx
You’re looking very hip and Carnaby Street-ish in that hat! I love the picture of you falling over, and I mean that in a good way. It’s so spontaneous and you have a great smile!
Beautiful shoes, though I’m glad Diana caught you! Since my mother has been living at our house suddenly our landscaping is VASTLY improved because like your mysterious gardener, she KNOWS what she is doing! My mother directs and DH and I dig.
Second time today that I’ve seen pants with a small slit at the front of the pant leg. I was just noticing this design detail when looking through an In Style magazine, and thinking that I wanted to execute a similar detail on a future sewing project. It’s a sign!
So happy to see you in the garden. How fabulous of you to share your treasured space with another. It really is a win win situation.
Sue xo
Lovely combination of blue and white. Very fresh
Everyone needs a Marge in their lives, I certainly do! Your garden looks so established, like it’s been left to it’s own devices for years – which is a compliment, I dislike regimented gardens!
You look fabulous, a great advert for yoga. xxx
You are my muse. You always make me feel soft inside and touched.
I hope to visit one day your garden and hug you and the angel of the garden.
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Judith–you are the most glorious blossom in your garden!!
What a wonderful thing to be an angel of the garden. I had never considered that planting was an exercise in creativity, but I believe you are right SC. I have been planting like crazy for months. I love it so much to have green life around me. But just this morning I was thinking I don’t do creative things. Maybe I do after all. 🙂 xo
Both you and your garden look wonderful!
I just came from another blog (Teatime with Trina) that was celebrating orange!! Must be in the air. I’m loving it. I am captivated by the hat and I love seeing you in your summery clothes. How fabulous that you have a garden angel visiting, for that is indeed what she is. Clearly it’s a time of healing and joy for both of you. Having something beautiful to nurture is so important. I love these picture. 🙂
Lovely in the garden, Judith! How wonderful to have an angel, a friend, come and nurture it. Love your brilliant pumps! Thank you for sharing the beauty with Visible Monday. xoxo
Hello, adorable one!
How incredible is your garden! Marge is truly an angel. You’ve both done an amazing job.
xxx
Look at you, in orange and blue! You have to know how much I love this combo! You look divine, and are another angel in the garden. How sweet to have a friend like that? Do you think she has a sister in Arkansas who wants to take on 45 or so acres? Probably not, but you’re lucky to have such a dear neighbor and friend.
Love, love, love the subtle patterns and textures. Your shoes completely rock, of course.
Thanks for inspiring, always, Judith!
Wonderful pictures and your hat makes your outfit. What an amazing friend you have! Lovely bright colored pumps.
blue hue wonderland
Love the striped shirt / tunic on you.
That smile of yours is worth it’s weight in gold! Your garden is incredible and I’m so glad you have a “garden angel” to help you. I think those gorgeous orange pumps, chic as they are, are a bit much for digging in the dirt. I do love them in contrast to the blue – and of course the hat is perfection!
I envy you your purple irises. I had purple tulips about a month ago but they’ve withered and gone until next Spring.
Spashionista (Alicia)
These are not only lovely shots of your garden but some of the best photos you’ve posted of yourself. You look happy and full of fun.
I need a Marge! We inherited a garden – a very beautiful and well cared for one. It is quickly becoming a wild meadow in our custody! I understand well though your enthusiasm for creating something in a garden – we’ve done it before and it is very satisfying – looking forward to doing it again once life calms down. I must say you are the most glamorous gardener! I love those orange heels!
Judith, as you know, I love spending time playing and creating in the dirt and my flower garden but I never look as angelic as you do. You look so very happy in your garden and the blue and white is just the perfect compliment for the surroundings. You make me laugh to know you are walking around your garden in those beautiful orange pumps.
Love your looks. So clever to add the pumps, which are perfect by the way.
I am not much of a gardener but I recognize what you are saying. If I am in the garden and starting something I can be there for hours. But only to clean things up. Never to touch the plants as I cannot distinguish weed from plants. I have officially been declared a danger to the plants.
Those are the juiciest shoes! And your hat is bringing up all kinds of imagery for me. My favourite photo is the one of you falling forward – falling but with a big smile. Marge the garden angel. How lovely.