An Open Canvas - creating a garden
Perhaps you remember my telling you that we moved into my childhood home? – a gorgeous 27 acre slice of paradise with forest behind and high-bank views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier in front.
It is truly an Open Canvas!
As with all older homes, there's a never-ending list of projects, repairs, overwhelmingly overgrown gardens, oh – and 20 acres of Forest Management after 30 years neglect. No need for any gym membership in my family – only good boots, a let's-dive-in attitude and perhaps some hard hats (that's another story).
Some big ‘Open Canvas’* goals for 2023 are:
(*Open Canvas is my mantra for 2023)
Landscaping: designing the hardscape and digging in the gardens (after we install our deer/rabbit fence)
Building an Art Studio addition!
Everything inside and out feels like an open canvas just waiting for me to dive in! I’m SO excited and will share progress with you throughout the year.
For now, perhaps you'd like to take a walk with me through the orchard, past the now-abandoned old driveway (now dug up for gardens!) and take a peek at the old carport which will be transformed into an Art Studio:
Our Empty Palette from Beverly Ash Gilbert on Vimeo.
You might have noticed some details:
You'll hear birds and a neighbor's dog, an overhead airplane, but that's about as noisy as it gets here
An old stump (pulled up to make way for the new parking area) is now a gorgeous feature at the edge of the woods
Bare dirt areas – that used to be massively overgrown plantings invaded by salal (great in the forest, but totally takes over), brambles, ivy, holly etc. – are now Open Canvases!
Multiple compost piles (we now have 2 more really large ones) – SO excited about all of the gorgeous soil we'll have next spring!
Yes, that big old fir tree is HUGE. She's over 500 years old!
Old firewood piles – we don't burn anymore and are giving away to folks who do. Moving forward, all the logs we cut down in our forest are left in place to provide nutrients for new growth. Small stuff is chipped and composted.
Videography is NOT my calling (sorry about whipping around a few times and the huffing and puffing)
So much to do – lot's of hard work ahead. But perhaps you can tell that I'm tingling with anticipation! I can't wait to take these Open Canvases and layer them with color and joy!
Read more: Come Into My Garden
