Gardens of Hope || A garden growing in support of others needing respite and hope
A Winter's Walk
Do you dread winter? To be honest, sometimes I do. The cold temperatures, the shovelling, the storms, the treacherous driving. I could go on. Do you know what though? Over the last couple of years, something in me has started changing. My dread is melting into appreciation. My life is quite busy in the spring, summer, and fall. When the snow comes, the busyness subsides. Like nature, I have a few months to hibernate. To slow down, to rest, to dream, to plan for the next season. Winter has become a gift for my family and I. We get to reconnect, explore, sip tea by the fireplace. I love the hustle of the summer and the beauty it brings. But there is something incredibly profound about moving with nature's pace. Of course, there's no pause button in life, but winter is an invitation for me to smell the roses (figuratively of course, as all of our rose bushes are buried in snow!). As I've adopted this slower pace of life ushered in with the snow, I've began to see the beauty of winter in nature. The other morning I woke early and was enjoying a steaming pot of tea. I glanced out our kitchen window and saw one of the most stunning sunrises. It was so simple, but so life giving.
Many of you've experience Prince Edward Island in the summer and fall. It's gorgeous, right?! PEI tends to get a bad rep in the winter months, but let me tell you it's all rubbish. Our Island is a whimsical place even when it's buried in 10 feet of snow! I mean, just look at this view from just behind our restaurant over looking River Clyde.
A few weeks ago, after a snowfall, our talented graphic designer, Katherine, wandered around The Gardens of Hope captured these stunning winter photos!
Maybe you live in a place that never sees snow or maybe you live in a place that sees more snow than you'd care to mention. Whatever your experience, I hope you can embrace the beauty each season graces us with!
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” Edith Sitwell
The Gardens of Hope Respite Cottage
In 2004, a vision was created to form The Country Gardens Foundation of Hope, Inc. large part of its vision is to build a “Respite Cottage” within the Gardens of Hope located in New Glasgow, PEI. These spacious 12 acre gardens were created for Islanders and visitors alike to enjoy the natural beauty of Prince Edward Island. An old Catholic Chapel called St. Joseph's , located at the entrance to the National Park in Cavendish, was moved to its present location within the Gardens of Hope.
The Purpose of The Respite Cottage
Our hope and prayer is that the garden setting of the Respite Cottage will allow those who visit or stay to be ministered to by nature's beauty.
The cottage provides a warm and comfortable environment. It is a space designed for peace and tranquility.
Who Can Use The Cottage?
Individuals who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and are well enough to travel are welcome to stay at The Cottage for up to one week.
Caregivers and those ministering to others who themselves are experiencing compassion fatigue.
Non-Profit human service organizations for small gatherings or meetings.
Facilities
Gathering Around the Fireplace
View of the Kitchen from Loft Bedroom
Dining Room
Quilted Comforts
The Cottage is wheelchair accessible.
The Cottage is able to sleep 6-7 individuals comfortably.
Two washrooms; one fully wheelchair accessible.
Fireplace, Open Kitchen, Decks.
Dishes and bedding provided.
When Is the Cottage Available?
The Cottage is available year round.
Please make your inquiries here: bruce@preservecompany.com or shirley@preservecompany.com
Thank you for your interest.
Falling for Fall!
Fall in Prince Edward Island is nothing short of spectacular.
Trees exchange their lush green leaves for rich reds and rusts and vibrant yellows and oranges. Fields turn golden, skies are blue, and flowers hang onto their summer colours. The air is fresh and crisp. The days grow shorter, but the sunrises and sunsets leave us in awe.
There's something so lovely about watching the earth prepare for the winter months. The transition from of seasons is not something we'll ever take for granted. There's such beauty in the change.
Here are a few photos we've captured this Fall season!
Sweet Summertime!
"It has always seemed to me, ever since early childhood, that, amid all the commonplaces of life, I was very near a kingdom of ideal beauty."
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Sunset on the north shore
One of PEI's infamous red dirt roads
Lucy Maud has summed up how I feel about Prince Edward Island so perfectly. Sometimes I have to pinch myself just to make sure living and working here is real life. We love welcoming so many guests to the Preserve Co. and hearing about their love for our Island.
I love each season for the unique gifts that they bring. But there's something special about summertime here. The beaches, the sunsets, the sites, the visitors, the gardens, the food! It's an exciting time to be here. There's a certain buzz and energy that's absolutely infectious.
We're so thankful to have the Gardens of Hope and continue developing this 12-acre space into a sanctuary of beauty and peace for all who visit.
For those of you who might not be able to make it here this year, I wanted to give you a little snippet of the gardens at this time of year.
I'd recommend steeping a pot of tea and sipping on it while imagining you're here!
Follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to see even more photos of life here!
Welcome to the Gardens of Hope
Hope you can come visit in person someday! Our Butterfly House is open from June - September and the Gardens of Hope are full of beauty each season.
Yellow-edged Giant Owl Butterfly
Common Name: Yellow-edged Giant Owl
Scientific Name: Caligo Atreus
Wingspan: 140–160 mm
Location: Mexico to Peru
The Yellow-edged Giant Owl (Caligo atreus) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. The larvae feed on Musa and Heliconia species and can be a pest for banana cultivation. Adults feed on juices of rotting fruit.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
White Angled-Sulphur Butterfly
Common Name: White Angled-Sulphur
Scientific Name: Anteos Clowned
Wingspan: 70–90 mm
Location: South America, Central America, & Southern North America
From the Pieridae family. They are strong fliers and noted for their migrations. They are the only white butterfly of this size, though could be mistaken for the rare white form of Anteos maerula Yellow-angled Sulphur. Males can be distinguished by the yellow patch on the forewing though this needs close views to be visible. It rarely settles with its wings open so pictures showing this are usually taken in flight on a speed of 1/1600 sec. On females this patch is blurred or absent.
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Learn more about the Butterfly House: HERE
Special thanks to the following sources:
Variable Cracker Butterfly
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Common Name: Variable Cracker
Scientific Name: Hamadryas Feronia
Wingspan: 7.3 - 8.3 cm
Location: Southern parts of the United States south to Brazil
The butterflies are commonly known as Crackers due to the ability of the males of several species to produce a sound similar to the crackling of bacon in a frying pan. The sound is produced as the butterflies take off, and is made by twanging a pair of spiny rods at the tip of the abdomen against bristles on the anal claspers. Only males can produce the sound, but both sexes can detect it - their wings have tiny hollow cells covered in membranes that vibrate in response to sound, and stimulate nerve endings. The purpose of the sound is not known. It may possibly deter competing males from occupying the same territory, or could act as a trigger to initiate the first response from a female during courtship. All Hamadryas species have a beautiful calico pattern on the upperside. In several species the ground colour is greyish and the pattern acts as an extremely effective camouflage against the bark of trees. In others, the wings are velvety black with a blue sheen and a pattern of bright blue spots.
