Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Senseless Acts of Beauty

Diving by our county's branch of Asheville's AB Tech -- a fine community college -- my eye was caught by the magnificent display of flowers planted at the entrance and I remembered a few years back, seeing Dr. Connie Buckner, the director of this facility, dressed in jeans and out digging in the dirt.

Her efforts have been richly rewarded! What could easily have been a generic planting of low maintenance shrubbery surrounded by mulch and a litter of cigarette butts is instead a garden of breathtaking exuberance.

Hybrid day lilies, liatris, gladioli, purple cone flowers, black-eyed susans, rosemary, and a lavender plant that seems to be on steroids are the main features of this lovely spot.



The injunction to 'practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty' comes to mind.
It's probably not in their job description but the folks at the Madison County branch of AB Tech have done just that in creating this stunning garden.

Many thanks to Dr. Buckner and her horticultural cohorts -- Virginia Norton, Jerome Moriarty, and Sherri Davis for this amazing display!

Posted by Picasa

9 comments:

Carol Murdock said...

That really is beautiful! A gardner's time is never wasted and this is proof!

Tammy said...

Very beautiful. That is how I'd like my yard to look---I could do without all the weedy grass and take the flowers! I had heard the saying 'random acts of kindness' but not the other part 'senseless acts of beauty'. When I saw your title it tickled my fancy. I love it! What a difference it would make if people did like this lady and went above and beyond 'nice' and went for riotous beauty.
Thanks for sharing
Tammy

vicki archer said...

A lovely garden - such beauty to behold every day. What a passionate gardener she is...xv

Eleanor said...

You have my vote for all the senseless acts of beauty humankind can manage! Those flowers lift one's spirit. It is winter here and chilly. But all remains green.

Tess Kincaid said...

An investment in beauty is never a waste.

Vicki Lane said...

It truly tickles me that these folks take the time to do this. It must lift the spirits of everyone who passes by.

You're right. Carol -- even if the garden is wiped out, the time spent making it was good for the soul.

Riotous beauty is exactly what it is, Tammy!

THE PASSIONATE GARDENER -- sounds like a book title . . .

Funny to think of it being winter in July, Eleanor, Willow -- even if I've known about the way the weather works lo these many years.

There's another book title -- INVESTMENT IN BEAUTY!

Vicki Lane said...

Meant to say, Willow, that I thought of you when I saw that amazing orange double day lily!

Victoria said...

"Senseless acts of beauty." I really like that. It cheers my soul when I see them, knowing that the person, or people, didn't have to go the extra mile, but did anyway.

Vicki Lane said...

Just hoe I feel, Victoria! I see so many people doing senseless stupid ugly things -- things they do without thinking -- that it's a delight to see something like this -- done with a lot of thought and with no hope of gain. Makes my heart leap up.