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Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing ⠀ and rightdoing

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing ⠀
and rightdoing there is a field.⠀
I'll meet you there.⠀
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When the soul lies down in that grass⠀
the world is too full to talk about.⠀
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Rumi⠀
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#Rumi⠀
#Mondaymotivation⠀
#haveagreatweek

Coming home⠀ ⠀ It’s a strange feeling to rem

Coming home⠀
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It’s a strange feeling to remember another time, and does make one feel a tiny bit senior.. but these last couple of weeks have felt in little ways like a return to an old normal we knew as children. ⠀
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Being very careful with food, using as little petrol as possible, doing household chores ourselves and cooking from scratch were all normal for the 60’s babes whose parents had grown up in austerity times. ⠀
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The internet has done away with the need to shiver in the hallway to make a two minute phone call after 6pm (and before 9pm to be polite) and Netflix is a boon for night owls who remember the test card appearing when telly finished at night. And I still say ‘Sing Ho for the dishwasher’ instead of tedious hours - helped by bubbles and chat - after meals. ⠀
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But in some ways it is feeling like stepping off a running machine for a minute to catch our breath. ⠀
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These old ways feel familiar, comforting, like a favourite old cardigan found in the back of a cupboard. ⠀
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We’re treading more lightly on the earth, and I hope we might keep some of the better habits when the virus has passed. ⠀
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The best gardens for me have that same feeling of comfortable. Beautiful but not pretentious, somewhere that suits people as they really are. Somewhere to come home to. ⠀
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This is my garden taken by an unprofessional photographer.. it’s not what I’d design for everyone, but you might get an idea of what comfortable feels like for me. ⠀
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What does it feel like for you?⠀
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#mygarden⠀
#marianboswalllandscapes ⠀
#springgarden

After the adrenaline ⠀
Adjusting to new normal⠀
Trying to do it all still...⠀
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Now allowing weekend weariness⠀
Time to be instead of do.⠀
Pottering not achieving ⠀
Softly, letting go. ⠀
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Let’s meet in the garden.⠀
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#mygarden⠀
#tulipseason⠀
#lettinggo⠀
#📵

You cannot step into the same river twice⠀ ⠀ H

You cannot step into the same river twice⠀
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Heraclitus⠀
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#bethechange
#aĺwayslearning
#heraclitus

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.⠀
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– Vivian Greene⠀
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#muscari⠀
#mygardentoday⠀
#quotestoliveby
#toughtimesdontlast

The perfect quiet corner to be. With or without a

The perfect quiet corner to be. With or without a book or a companion. ⠀
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Chairs close enough to allow a gentle conversation, and far enough apart for a companionable silence. ⠀
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My favourite kind. ⠀
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Have you ever tried keeping a companionable silence with yourself? ⠀
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Park the to-do-list mind chatter and what-ifs about the future. Put anxiety down next to your chair just for a minute, and feel for a gentle quiet. ⠀
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It will be there in the corners of your mind, suspended like dust motes in the sunshine. ⠀
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Can you watch it for a bit? ⠀
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If you can gift yourself just a few moments of self kindness and rest, the effect is like the mind equivalent of one of those fizzy vitamins in the adverts. ⠀
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You’ll be mentally rejuvenated and ready to go again. But with less fizz or dodgy orange colours on your tongue.. ⠀
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If you’ve done it I wonder if you know what I mean. Or perhaps you visualise something else?⠀
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Being near plants helps, as they trigger seratonin, a hormone that makes us feel calmer and more relaxed. ⠀
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Companion planting for humans!⠀
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I’ll be talking about companion planting in my newsletter next week, but just the veg patch variety. Link in bio if you want a copy. ⠀
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In the meantime let me know if you find a moment or a mote of quiet, and how it feels. ⠀
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#shadehouse⠀
#gardenroom⠀
#glasshouse⠀
#houseplants

If life had a second edition, how I would correct

If life had a second edition, how I would correct the proofs.⠀
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John Clare⠀
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I’ve been speaking to a few people who feel they are rediscovering another layer of themselves at the moment. ⠀
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Part reevaluating, part coming home and reconnecting with how they used to be. ⠀
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I wonder if anyone else is finding that?⠀
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If you follow the earth’s calendar today is a new moon. I’m not an astrologer but I do like the practice of starting a new month with new plans. ⠀
Concentrating on the bits I can control, and letting go of the rest. ⠀
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Head over to @vonstrunckel if you’re interested in these rhythms. ⠀
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And whether on a window sill or greenhouse, today is a great day to sow seeds! ⠀
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#johnclare⠀
#newmoon⠀
#biodynamic ⠀
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Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understan

Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.⠀
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Epictetus, author of The Art of Living⠀
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50-135AD⠀
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We can’t change what’s happening but we can choose what we do.,⠀
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My studio has been working remotely for two weeks now and thanks to clever tech all is going well. ⠀
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We can share screens and discuss plans and drawings and site photos with clients and each other. Work is going ahead pretty much as it was, but with just me physically here there is less chat and less aroma of coffee in the studio! I’m tempted to make some just for the smell.. ⠀
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Video calls are really helpful. Tuning in to what is being said between the words just takes a bit more getting used to than when meeting face to face, but it really helps to see one another. ⠀
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Concentrating on creating beautiful sustainable places and working with nature is a really good way to park anxiety in a corner for a few hours and plan for the future. ⠀
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It’s a great time to decide how we’d like to live in the future. Which bits we’d like to control more, and what we’re happy to let go. ⠀
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And as much as we are able, to start now, living in the present. ⠀
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If you are planning a garden and have any questions do drop them in the comments below. ⠀
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My next newsletter is about the veg patch. My make do and mend approach, featuring getting started with no dig, companion planting, home made supports and best times to sow. Link in bio to join the email list if you’re not on it already. ⠀
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Have a lovely start to the week. ⠀
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#mondaymotivation⠀
#workingfromhome⠀
#lifeofalandscapearchitect⠀
#sustainablegardening ⠀
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📷@katiespicerphotography

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