Putting Down Roots

One of the most marked changes in my life since moving to the Southwest concerns my passion for surrounding myself with beautiful plants and trees. My husband and I worked very hard to develop lovely gardens around our home in Virginia as can be seen in the following photos.

Kousa dogwood in front yard

Japanese maple in back yard

Peony and clematis

Besides my family and friends, the thing I miss most since moving is relaxing on one of our porches and looking out at the gardens. We don't have porches here, but we have begun landscaping around our new home. It will take time for the structure to develop and the plantings to mature, just as it did in Virginia, but I am learning to appreciate the beauties of the desert. Here are some of the most recent blooms in our back yard.

Chaste tree in bloom

The lovely purple color attracts butterflies

Arizona Rosewood

Such a delicate blossom

Change has never been easy for me. I do best with a regular routine. Even though this move had been planned and eagerly anticipated for some time, I have often felt disoriented and uprooted this last year. Now, with a garden to work in, I finally feel at home.