Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Conservatory Garden in Winter

The young boy played his flute, calling to birds; his companion lifted a snow-laden bowl where they might drink.  While sparrows flitted near in search of seeds, not one came to visit this snowbound pair.

Three maidens danced in a frozen whirl.  The fountain was missing its triumphant plume, and the pool below was filled with snow.

While still a fine place for city walking, the grand garden seemed off-kilter.  Color, dazzling in other seasons, was confined to muted tones of white, brown, and gray, leavened only with a bit of ivy or yew clinging to green.

Shapes were muted, too:  snow blunted carefully sculpted bushes, tree limbs carried snowy shrouds, and snow commandeered the benches where one might sit and admire the view.

We knew, when fall’s glorious colors came on, they wouldn’t last.  We knew the profusion of mums would wither soon enough.  The dancing maidens knew it, too, and picked up their step.

But we also know that winter, as inevitably as it began, will end.  The little piper and his companion will shake off their snow, the dancing maidens will revel in the coming warmth, and the garden will reawaken into spring.

11 comments:

  1. This time of year is among my favorites for all of the reasons you so eloquently convey. Lovely words and pictures...thanks for the reminder that spring is just around the corner!

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  2. What a charming and hopeful post! The winter scenes are beautiful but the colors of spring bring a sense of renewal that is irresistible.

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  3. What a wonderful piece! I love it~ I assume, RA, that you took all your photographs yourself? We are considering running up to NYC over the weekend and I would never have thought to go all the way up to Central Park, but perhaps I might, if only to see it in its muted state, before spring bursts forth.

    Your prose is wonderful accompaniment to the photos. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Lovely poetic words and pictures. The seasons are usually more obvious up north than here in Florida. But last night we got an unmistakable sign of the change: a mockingbird outside our window sang out full throttle all night and into the dawn.

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  5. Dear Raining Acorns,
    your photographs show the loveliness of winter - and also give courage to imagine that it will be - as lovely as it is - over soon. The turning of Yin to Yang and the other way round - often one cannot imagine that something, good or bad, will ever end. But then that will end too - I love the concept of the curve (in opposition to the linear thinking of the Western world).
    Thank you very much for that beautiful and poetical post!

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  6. That's a smashing little post. Really great words and pictures combination.

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  7. The flute player & companion look like they've emerged from an avalanche.

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  8. Thanks for all the lovely comments. When I came back from my winter walk in the garden, I went back to look at my photographs from other seasons there. The difference was so dramatic it called out for a post that not only had winter photographs, but a glimpse of the garden in spring. Glad you enjoyed it!

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  9. What a lovely spell you cast with your words and pictures - what a pleasure to see the winter scenes and to contrast them with the spring version!

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  10. Never seen this type of garden before. It looks so gorgeous after glorious color came out. Thanks to share with us.

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  11. Thanks for the lovely mix of words and pictures, and for confirming that winter is indeed the test of great gardens. You show us statuary in a muted gallery more flattering than flowers, and as for that allee...

    well, you can't beat structure and there it is, no matter how tired we all sometimes get of hearing about the importance of bones.

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