So far, this experience has been one that I will never forget. In addition to honing my traveling skills (learning tidbits of Italian, getting hopelessly lost in Rome, taking walking tours through London, navigating the complicated Paris streets), I have also used the garden knowledge I have acquired to begin thinking about my own future gardens.
It’s Day 18. We boarded the bus to Mount Stewart which is a 19th Century house and garden in Northern Ireland. To begin, Dr. Smalley had a talk with us about the features of past gardens that we liked the most. He told us that now that we can read gardens, we can think about what we would like in our own gardens. We were free to explore the extensive estate on our own, and rather than see everything in the garden, I found a tree that resembled a chair overlooking the large pond. It was dangerously near a swan’s nest, but it was utterly peaceful. I chose this as a place to reflect. Dr. Smalley had mentioned the Irish heaven, or Tír na nÓg, and I realized that this is what heaven must look like.
With the hour and a half that we had to explore the gardens, I gazed out over the beauty of the pond and began to draw plans for my own gardens. I implemented pillars with poetry inscribed on them (much like Little Sparta), parterres, grottos, replicas of statues seen on the tour, and many arts and crafts elements that I had observed from the tour.
In addition to the garden plans, I wrote a poem about the very spot I sat:
“Tir na’n Og” (Ireland)
In greeting, the reeds wave
Branches enfold me into dark stave
I nestle into soft recline
English landscape, simply divine
Friendly tree guards me
Eyes full of sun; brightly it doth shine
Regally I perch atop woody throne
A refuge from the wind as grass is blown
In rival kingdom, ripples the lake
Dancing light upon leaves it doth make
Mighty swan taking rule over lesser fowl
Standing tall, holding ground for progeny’s sake
I watch time stand still
in
Tir na’n Og
I am thankful that this trip is not yet over, but the time is growing short. I am thankful for all of the real-world knowledge I have gained from my travels.
