Spring at the Cottage Studio
Spring is a very exciting and busy time at the cottage. We grow a lot of our food and maintain many flower beds. It’s a miracle that I find any time to paint. However, the inspiration is so strong as spring comes into full bloom that it just cannot be ignored!
Garden Preparations
Annual Vegetable and Fruit Gardens
We have about 350 square feet of annual vegetable beds scattered around the property utilizing different sun requirements. In these I grow all kinds of produce – tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, melons, kale, squash, green beans, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peppers, and herbs; just to name a few. I start everything from seed and top off the beds with homemade compost every year. As you can imagine, this is a lot of work.
Perennial Fruits and Vegetables
We have 8 fruit trees, somewhere in the ballpark of 120 berry bushes, a strawberry patch, and an asparagus bed. This all requires pruning and its own set of care.
Flowers
On top of all of that, I also grow many flowers. It’s important to feed the soul too after all. I have MANY perennial flowers. Some examples are roses, peonies, iris, daffodils, tulips, lavender, and hydrangea. I even grow dahlias which are not hardy in my zone. This requires me to dig up the tubers every fall and store them in the root cellar. I replant them in the spring. Add to that the annual flowers that I start from seed such as cosmos, nasturtium, marigolds, and snapdragons. There is a lot going on!
A Life of Art
I have learned that I am truly happy when I am gardening. To me, it feels like another form of creation. I enjoy picking a color pallet for my flower beds and designing the composition concerning placement. I love designing bouquets from my homegrown flowers and cooking with my beautiful produce. All of this joy and energy really does refuel the well of creativity in me. Despite being so busy I can’t help but squeeze in time to paint every chance I get. It’s simply irresistible.
Plein Air at the Cottage
Some more recent studio projects.
Clearly, I have flowers on my mind!
