Artists in a Rose Garden

Posted byRebecca BuddPosted inGardens, North Vancouver, Park & Tilford Gardens, RosesTags:, , , ,

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.”

Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy-Tacy and Tib

Artists in a Rose Garden from Rebecca Budd aka Clanmother on Vimeo.

I have always considered the month of June a synonym for roses, for it is in this special time that the fragrance of this flower is especially sweet and enticing.  There is a fresh green to the leaves, a steadfastness to the petals that attracts the gentle buzz of bees. The sun has yet to show the heat of a summer’s day, the breeze still holds a crispness of late spring.

There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.     

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Gather the rose of love whilst yet is time.     

Edmund Spenser

A ChasingART series on “Artists in the Garden” explores the connection between nature and the creative spirit.  Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt  and Paul Cézanne intuitively understood that gardens have restorative power to inspire, heal and bring a calmness that encourages freedom of thought. The intermingling of sun, soil, seeds, and water brings forth new life, even as an artist gives birth to an internal vision that seeks an outlet.

But the rose leaves herself upon the brier, For winds to kiss and grateful bees to feed.

John Keats

Gardens continue to work their seemingly magical powers.  A few days ago, I happened upon a rose garden with artists situated throughout the pathways, intent on their artistic endeavours.

 

I invite you to join me on my walk through a rose garden…

 

Published by Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

22 thoughts on “Artists in a Rose Garden”

    1. Thank you so much for joining me on my walk. Park & Tilford is one of my most favourite gardens. The garden was originally the site of a distillery so I’m certain there was something left in the soil because every year it becomes even more beautiful. I am so glad that we can share photos across the globe. So glad that we are connected!

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  2. Thank you for this post. Roses are special among the flowers that God has given us. The fragrance, the bright and varied colors are a sign of comfort and happiness. It is no wonder that roses are used in bridal bouquets and at other important occasions. I enjoyed our time in the garden last Saturday. It was such a quiet, refreshing and cool spot in a very warm day.

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    1. I love taking time in this garden, especially when artists take up residence among the roses. I love taking photos of roses in June – there is a special colour and freshness. But then, summer and autumn bring out other phases of their beauty. I was reading in a bridal magazine that June, September and October are the months for weddings. The weather is the most optimum in early summer and fall!!

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    1. I love this botanic garden – it is located in a busy, busy shopping area, but when you enter the gates, all the noise and commotion floats away. Children love to walk through the pathways. The area is 2.8 acres and has eight separate but interconnected areas with bridges, hanging baskets, a marvelous totem pole – and a rose garden. When I was taking photos of the artists and the roses, I overheard a young family remembering that they had attended a special wedding in the rose garden. We connect nature with our special events and memories. Hugs coming across the pond…

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  4. Thank you so much for this delightful walk. I’ve been seeing roses all day today. In fact, the first thing I saw today when I looked at my email was your blog post with the Little Prince quote. Very auspicious for me.

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    1. I just reread “The Little Prince.” There is a richness of emotion in the pages. I understand that the Prince’s Rose, was inspired by Saint-Exupéry’s Salvadoran wife Consuelo de Saint Exupéry. Thank you for sharing my walk in the rose garden. The artists added joy to the setting, each trying to capture the beauty, but never quite satisfied with the outcome of their endeavors. But that is the best part of life – there is always a new horizon, a fresh challenge. May we remember, “You have to look with the heart.” Antoine de Saint Exupéry.

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    1. Thank you, Resa – I could see you in this garden, with a paintbrush and easel. You have an artist’s soul. What I am now looking into is how music brings out the spectrum of creativity. I found this wonderful master’s thesis – this is a quote from the paper: “Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock and Cubist painter Stuart Davis openly embraced jazz music among their artistic influences. Pop artist Andy Warhol was deeply influenced by the rock band Velvet Underground (an influence that was reciprocated when he became their manager in 1965).” https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4170&context=etd

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  7. How lovely to see these beautiful gardens, roses and all in harmonious bloom for the fortunate western part of Canada. We of the eastern parts of this country, are not quite so fortunate, for all is extremely late this year, as two or three weeks late. Beautiful peonies for example, that are May flowers, are barely starting to open. As for roses we can but be thankful to you Rebecca for giving us a peek at what we hope to will soon materialize for this summer’s enjoyment, very soon we hope, we and our bee population who must also be anxious and wondering…

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    1. Summer is coming, Jean-Jacques. The earth has woken from her deep sleep. I can understand how ancients mythologies has taken on a maternal view of how the world was created. The soil, seed, rain and sun energize and promise that there will be seasons of growth and rest. By the way, we were two to three weeks later than usual as well. Our daffodils did not want to arrive at their usual time. Many thanks coming over to your side of the world.

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  8. Yes, that’s the one! My husband, daughter, and I spent countless hours at the Norfolk Botanical Garden when we lived in Virginia. The Enchanted Forest with all the spring azaleas was another favorite at the Botanical Garden.

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  9. These flowers look amazing. Your photos are so good that I can almost smell the roses’ fragrances. Also, nice quote about Keats. I visited his London home recently.

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    1. Thank you so much for your heartwarming comments. Oh, how lucky to visit Keats’s home. It is on “important” places to see. By the way, your city guides are remarkable.

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      1. It was a very inspiring visit indeed, I imagined him writing underneath his garden trees with much happiness 🙂
        Thanks for the compliments too 🙂

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  10. Rebecca, a gem of a post and thank you for letting us join you on the rose garden walk. 🌹 I hope we didn’t disturb the artists at work! Roses seem to touch the soul more than many flowers, the variety and scents astonishing. I love the beautiful quotes and artistic presentation with the photos.

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    1. Gardens celebrate the transitions in our lives and remind us that we are connected to the earth and the cycle of birth and death and rebirth. There is a redemptive quality that builds resilience as well as acceptance of time moving forward. I love William Blakes vision: “To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.” Thank you for your heartwarming comments – so very much appreciated.

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