A Sunday in the Garden

Having lived in New York City on and off for over twenty years, we both   were amazed to note that neither of us had ever visited this incredible   garden! Well, it was time to change that!

Upon entering the MONETS GARDEN, I was thrilled to discover there was a   stunning tribute to the French Impressionist, Claude Monet, whom we both are   big fans.  The gardens have a fantastic   array of showcases interpreting his gardens seasonally and thus giving his   art as inspiration of its own life.

One of my favorite parts was seeing Monet’s Garden in the Conservatory,   which is an amazing Architectural gem in and of its own right.  It actually took us into the environment   that captured Monet’s imagination and is often reasoned the basic and   fundamental inspiration for his art.    The idyllic garden is in Giverny, France and the Enid A. Haupt   Conservatory was literally transformed into a floral masterpiece of diverse   plants, bold colors, and dramatic design.    Even a water lily pool was found in multiple locations.

The Gardens had the theme spill out into the entire 250 acres with scrolls   of French Symbolist poets, including Mallarmé and Rimbaud. Apparently they   have also included concerts, poetry readings, hands-on activities and classes   for adults and kids, French menus in the Garden Café, and stuff to buy in the   Garden Shop. My favorite object de art in the shop was a miniature sculpture   of the Eiffel Tower with air plants covering it.

Now it is really hard to say what else was my favorite after the   Conservatory’s beautiful replica of Monet’s French countryside, however being   a keen Aromatherapist, my breathe was taken away (literally) when I entered   the Herb Garden! The delicious smells and aromas filtered through the hot   summer day, like a delightful memory.    It was truly idyllic and I dreamed of my house in London years ago  when I was once a gardener myself.

Ah, to delight in this pastime again at my cottage by sea in the years to   come, my friend Jessica, an avid gardener, listened to my plight.  Her gardening skills are simply leaps and   bounds beyond anything I could hope for but it was fun to have some dreamy   conversations about it non-the less!

To the immense and varied ROSE garden which was a delight to view from the   top of a hill in shade, to the oldest section of the Park – the Pine Forest –   was shady and rich reminding me of really old country sides, to the funny   aspect of finding a fire hydrant in the middle of the forest (apparently   installed all over the park in the 1960’s to avoid fire disaster!).

Well, it was a PERFECT SUNDAY AFTERNOON.    It was complete with my longest standing friend Jessica, or Peanut as   my family likes to call her, and as always… the day was filled with laughter,   stories and it was truly magical as we were embraced by the plants, and   scents in this restorative and tranquil haven.

It is my life goal to always seek things to INSPIRE me and to FEED MY   SOUL.  Well, this Sunday afternoon did   both.  I invite you to take the time,   as I did, and not take too long to allow yourself a day to wander in this   amazing gem whenever you find yourself in this neck of the woods.  And until you can, go see some of the things that caught my eye!