President's Letter January

"Long yellow rushes bending
above the white snow patches;
purple and gold ribbon
of the distant wood:
what an angle
you make with each other as
you lie there in contemplation."
- William Carlos Williams, January Morning – XII

2010. Another year begins, bringing with it lingering echoes and welcome hope.

What could have been more wonderful for all of us than having an opportunity to gather on a cold January day to listen to Jennifer Radford’s compelling narrative and view her beautiful slides! She transported us all from our patches of snow to the bountiful gardens of Filoli where we stood in the sunken garden, ablaze with color; where we gazed with delight upon amazing columnar yews; and where we examined pots, overflowing with pansies. And then she swept us southward to feast our eyes upon the exotic plumage of soaring Birds of Paradise (Strelitzia) and magnificent specimen palm trees. This was a wonderful program – a most welcome respite from our freezing temperatures – lovingly put together and enchantingly presented.

January provides us with some opportunity for contemplation – a time to browse through the colorful garden catalogs that have found their way to our doors; to make notes on possible groupings of plantings (could we combine lime-green petunias with apricot calibrachoa and purple heliotrope?); to examine from second floor windows the outlines of our perennial beds reflected in the melting drifts; and to bring inspiration from those California gardens to our Connecticut backyards. I hope that everyone will find a moment to sit with a cup of tea and let your garden grow in your mind, filled with heirloom vegetables and roses scrambling up the wall.

In the midst of all of this reflection, however, I encourage you to note on your calendars the wine and cheese party that the Membership Committee is holding on Sunday, January 31^st at 4 pm. Please do come, bring a prospective member, and share in warm camaraderie at Rosita Murphy’s lovely home.

I end this month with some hopeful comments from Vita Sackville-West:

"The shortest day has passed, and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February, at least we notice that the days are getting longer. Minute by minute they lengthen out. It takes some weeks before we become aware of the change. It is imperceptible even as the growth of a child, as you watch it day by day, until the moment comes when with a start of delighted surprise we realize that we can stay out of doors in a twilight lasting for another quarter of a precious hour."

Carol

January, 2010