Being called an amateur

July 26, 2018

Being called an amateur

Today I took a trip across an old bridge past an old kiln yard that I once stumbled around some 35 years ago. I visited the amazing garden centre http://losthorizons.ca owned by Larry Davidson and his wife Evita.
Larry and I built identical large two chamber bourry box wood kilns some 35 years ago. He would travel to help me fire and I would in return travel south to help him. We worked relentlessly and with tunnel vision. We both divorced around the same time. Gee, I wonder why?
Larry had returned from an apprenticeship with Shimoaka of Japan and was making some of the best pots in the country. Pots that the market was not ready for.

Mallet vases made 35 years ago by Larry Davidson

He started growing plants and found he was making more money growing plants, planning and planting exclusive gardens for those that could afford it. Sadly for me and those that loved his work he gave up pots. He approached gardens like he did pots. He was not going to be your petunia, marigold, tulip dealer. He was going to provide the rare and exotic.
So today enters me with my new passion for flowers. I made my picks of some day lilies, some cone flowers. a sexy fern, some black eyed Susans and a ginkgo tree. He said I had picked like an amateur. I laughed because I get it! I am a newbie at gardening and pretty things attract me.
He has a wonderful eye for composition of plants like he did with his pots. He is not the one, two, one, two decorator. One, two, one, two gardeners are those I see that plant one red tulip, then two yellow ones, then one red, then two yellow. Or how about two cedar trees on either side of the front step. Larry provides magic with assortment of shape, size and colour.
Go to his place it is at least 3 hours of jaw dropping plants.
What is it with potter's and beautiful gardens?