"If you build it. . .

                                     ...they will come."    

I think the magical thing about gardens is that they take on a life of their own.   

I mean, all I really did was put together a few plants, flowers and trees...and now I have this haven — this oasis in the middle of the city.  I was really struck by this fact today.  –All I had to do was set the stage and they arrived.

The French doors of my studio are open and I am sitting at my desk looking out to the fountain, I can see most of the garden from here.

The day started sunny, then a rogue rain cloud passed over and shared a bit of moisture with us.

This fellow was caught in the midst of  it as he was taking his morning bath.  As the rain showered down, he remained, continuing his grooming.  (I think he considered himself pretty fortunate.)

Before I knew it, the sun was out again and the visitors increased.

   

Butterflies, bumblebees and long-legged wasps stopped by.

Hummingbirds and songbirds came to say hello and to peruse the blossoms or to take a rest on the garden bench.   

In fact, it almost seemed as though an announcement went out:

"Hey!   She's got her camera out today

at 1720, stop by if you want some

exposure."     (This is L.A. after all.)

Truth be told, when I created this garden, I didn't really think about the "wildlife" it might attract.  I love flowers and trees and designing spaces for people to enjoy and that's what I was thinking about mostly.

That's why it seems such a huge side benefit and almost, well . . . "flattering" really. 
Each time a new creature comes to call -or moves in- it is thrilling.  It's like nature is giving a nod of approval to something I initiated.    And really, that's all I did.  

I am still in awe at the miracle of it all. –Just plant a seed and a beautiful flower will grow there one day. –Just stick that little sapling in the ground and one day you will be lounging in the shade of a mighty tree. 

There is such a peace and serenity that comes from nature — a connection to the Divine at the ready.  

In creating this little snippet of it here, I have reaped far more than I have sown, that much is for sure.   

Planting a garden is like knocking on Heaven's door and what has opened up to me is far more than I had ever imagined.

all images by LeAnn, l&l at home, our garden

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Arcadia - John Saladino

"My strongly held belief that the house should be a sanctuary is echoed by my conviction that the garden should be a version of Arcadia, a place cut off from the rest of the world where dreams can be pursued."

~John Saladino, excerpt  Style by Saladino

. . . . .

ARCADIA (Greek: Ἀρκαδία) refers to a Utopian vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature. The term is derived from the Greek province of the same name which dates to antiquity; the province's mountainous topography and sparse population of pastoralists later caused the word Arcadia to develop into a poetic byword for an idyllic vision of unspoiled wilderness. The Utopian vision, Arcadia, is associated with bountiful natural splendor, harmony, and is often inhabited by shepherds. The concept also figures in Renaissance mythology.     Wikipedia

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