Be Your Own Valentine

via Wedding Flowers

With this and my Peaches Present post, I fear I'm running the risk of having y'all think I'm a complete narcissist. Not so! However, over the years, I've learned the importance of self love. As in, you have to love and appreciate yourself in order to truly and fully love others. OK, I lied. I'm still learning the importance of self love.

When one is Type A and a perfectionist, like I am, this "self love" is not always an easy thing to accomplish. I am often yelling at myself that I could do something better, should have done that, shouldn't have done this, etc. You get the idea. I honestly have to stop and remind myself- hey, I'm OK.

via JusticeAce

Additionally, we're heading into a holiday, Valentine's Day, which can be rather bittersweet. Whether you have a Significant Other or not, I encourage you to be your own Valentine first.

Take a moment and think about all the great qualities you have. Commit to be supportive of yourself and your work and efforts. Take care of yourself- your physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

via aussiegall

I happen to be traveling again this week (which explains my poor posts and even poorer commenting- I apologize!) and have had ample time with myself. As I've mentioned, I occassionally like to do my own "date night" and take myself out to dinner. These solo dinners after a long day aren't quite what I typically have in mind for date night, but it works. Your Significant Other may think you are completely insane if you suggest a solo date night, so that might not work for you.

via PhotoNet

But perhaps you can take a few extra moments in the bath, go for a run (perhaps on a treadmill?), or just enjoy a moment of quiet. Maybe splurge a little bit. Buy a little somthing-something, have a great piece of candy, buy yourself flowers. But do something to recognize you.

This probably a little "touchy feely" for many of you, but it was a thought I wanted to share with you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Emmie

Southern Gardens

New Orleans City Park

In honor of New Orleans' win last night, all those tempting gardening catalogs I'm receiving, and the fact that I'm just tired of the cold.... I thought I'd take a quick look at Good Southern Gardens.

A good Southern garden has some structure to it, achieved with shrubbery and trees- in addition to some man-made structures. I love boxwoods too for their evergreen.

Southern Accents

Savannah Getaways

Tara Dillard


Flannery O'Connor's garden via Garden and Gun

One can't mention structures and gardens without referencing Pearl Fryar's Topiary garden in South Carolina.

Pearl began his topiaries, reportedly, in an effort to win a neighborhood garden award. He certainly succeeded and his passion and art are amazing.

photograph by Pat Hartley

When I think of Southern gardens, I also think of statues- adding a bit of gothic to the setting. This one is in Dothan Botanical Gardens in Alabama.

photography by cablebreak (flikr)

Mixed with Hydrangeas- another very Southern view.

via A Southern Garden- Phillip Oliver



Garden in Savannah via This Eclectic Life

And amid the dreaded Spanish Moss.

Afton Villa Gardens

Pests are a given... Spanish moss is evil, evil, evil but I can't help but romanticize it when in reference to Southern Gardens. Below is a photo from Magnolia Plantation, which has been open to the public since the 1870s. This is a long time for Americans!

photo by Carl

Can't you just feel the humidity?

This photo from Afton Villa Gardens in Louisiana is a great transition to Azaleas, another Southern staple.

Azaleas (the old school variety; I've found that the the new, highly-advertised ones just don't up to the Southern heat). A great example at Goodwood Museum and Gardens in Tallahassee, Florida.

photos by Karl Gercens and the Goodwood Gardens (center)

And while I'm leaving out numerous Southern gardens and plants, I can't not mention two of my favorite plants with their cool white flowers- Magnolias and Gardenias. Evergreen, so you have some winter interest, and lovely scented blooms in the summer. Can you get any better than that?

AJC

Learn2Grow

leonardj446

Clemson Extension

OK, sometimes Magnolias are pink.

via Moosey's Country Garden

Check out Garden Visit to find gardens to visit. For more on Southern Gardening, you must visit Phillip Oliver's blog (his gardens are amazing!) and Tara Dillard's blog (I was fortunate to have taken her class on Southern Gardening at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens).

For more resources, great books include The Southern Garden by Lydia Longshore and A Southern Garden by Elizabeth Lawrence.

Have a great day!

Emmie