Ecobuild 2012

Post in progress! ;)  a really interesting article to come!

Tomorrow is DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY!!!!!

It is not Thursday and it is not Plant/Garden/Design related, but...

...tomorrow is DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY!!!!!

Image from here 

I couldn't not write it becouse it is my favorite day of the year! If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can read something here! (It is explained in a 'cold' way, but it is in English!)

Jesus asked to Saint Faustina for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter so mankind would take refuge in Him. And then He promised that:

"The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”(Diary 699)

“I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy.”(Diary 1109)

That is a soooo great day: the doors of Heaven are wide open...and that is why it is my favorite day of the year and I could not stop myself to write it!!! :D

Happy DIVINE MERCY DAY! :D

2 weeks off!

I'm on 'blogholiday'!!! :D

There is sooo much to do!!! Planting, planning, drawing, reading, shopping, visiting, swapping...it is a sooo hard but wonderful moment for all garden lovers! I'm also busy with my design works, drawing exercises, and .....celebration preparation! Infact on 16th of April it will not only be the first day of the 'National Gardening Week'

 ....it will also be my Birthday!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

See you on Thursday 26th April! I already have so much to tell you about!!!

Holy Thursday & Plants for a prayers garden.

From best Garden Designers we learned what should never miss in a garden to be worthy of the name. For some is a water feature, for some others a selection of bulbs or a piece of art...

For me, a simple Garden Design student, is a prayers garden! Whatever you belief and garden size, I think is really important to can have a corner where you can stay alone and be able to meditate, even for just few minutes a day...and I belive it is  really important expecially nowdays, where rhythms and daily tasks seem to stole every spare minute, letting you believe that 'you don't have the time' for anything else.

{Meditation Garden - source}

Choose to break free from the shackles of time to carve out a space for themselves can be a very brave choice ... but I'm sure it will rewards you with greater peace, energy, patience and strength to cope with everyday life!

So..What are you waiting to plan one on your own?

You need inspiration? Don't worry! I can give a hand helping you in the choice of plants: with today, I inaugurate a series of posts dedicated to Prayers Gardens!

Being Catholic, and now being Holy Thursday, I'll start with some plants that together to cheer the eyes, will also remind of Christ's passion (even when Easter will be over!):

{souce}

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba':

(also know as Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba', white bleeding heart in English, or Cuor di Maria in Italian)

Lovely and actractive perennial, it is very common in Christians' prayers gardens becouse of its heart-shaped flowers recalling the words of Simeon to Virgin Mary: 'and a sword will pierce your soul too' (Lk 2,35), anticipation of the great pain that Mary would suffered for the calvary and the death of her son Jesus.

Personally, it's one of my favorite plants ever, and I look forward to seeing the flowers bloom! :D

{source}

Cercis siliquastrum ( also know as Judas tree in English and as Albero di Giuda in Italian).

It is a bushy, deciduous tree with a rich pink flowering ables to warm the heart and raise a smile even in the grayer days, and fruits that will appear in autumn giving the tree a year-around interest. In my hometown, it is one of the first trees to welcome the spring. Planted in avenues and interspersed with Summer-flowering trees are....simply amazing!

The common name refers to the tree with which Judas, taken by remorse, he hanged himself (Mat 27,5).

Some other great plants are:

Passiflora caerulea 'Costance Eliott' (Passionflower 'Constance Eliott' in English, Passiflora in Italian), Olea europaea (Olive tree in English, Olivo in Italiano), and....this is another post! ;)