Dirt

Now that I’m an urbanite, I don’t have much opportunity to play in the dirt. So when I need a fix, I head to the Garfield Park Conservatory. I’ve been before and shared my images… it is a magical place that offers new treasures each time I visit. Today was no exception.

We had  a light rain this morning, so the outdoor gardens were especially fresh. I was taken with the giant nodding heads of the sunflowers and the lushness of the bean stalks. It was the lily pads, though, that took my breath away. I was mesmerized by the array of colors in the pond — greens, reds, and yellows. The lotus flowers were blooming in shades of white, pink, and purple. And then there were the different sizes of lily pads. The contest for my favorite came down to the enormous, lipped pads dotting the east side of the pond and the miniature pads that freckled the edges. I suppose I’ve always been drawn to the extremes.

The vegetable garden was another bright spot in my morning. I tickled the tomato plants (even though there were plenty of bees taking care of pollination), marveled at the striped eggplant, and admired the twisting limbs of the beans. It makes me happy to think that the Conservatory will donate its bounty to the neighborhood when it is time to harvest. Community gardens, big and small, are a wonderful thing.