contrary

when i was a kid, i had a fair amount of contempt for the mary, mary of quite contrary fame

i don't think i knew what contrary meant

the rhyme, with its "silver bells, cockle shells" made me think of prissy girls and shell-encrusted jewellery boxes

speaking of shell-encrusted
here is a slightly better take on shell-art by artist esme timbery

i saw two of her wors at the mca gallery in sydney

one was a sydney harbour bridge, not unlike this one

the other was truly beautiful, a sailing ship - i haven't been able to find any images of it

there was a shell-encrusted house around the corner from where i lived about 10 years ago, a view of the bay of naples painted under the eaves, and cement-stuck shells on the walls. beautiful in an art brut kind of way

which brings me back to mary and her contrary garden, with its silver bells and cockle shells

the other day i realised it suddenly reminded me of derek jarman's famous garden in dungeness
the joy of junk and found objects

i like the idea of surprises in a garden jarman produced a place of wonder from the shale and driftwood, iron and flotsam

it is an inspiring place in an otherwise desolate landscape

a garden nearby has taken a rusty leaf from jarman's book, and produced something similiar

what i realised, is that ole contrary mary is an inventive thinker, an independent mind,

not be bloody-minded as ready to follow her own heart, mind and spirit

frankly cockle shells and silver bells in a garden is a wonderful idea

it is something rare and special to have an eye for beauty

here are some rare and beautiful things found in another garden of wonder and surprises

roald dahl's take on it

roald dahl's take on it,

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

"I live with my brat in a high-rise flat

so how in the world would I know."

silly mary, not to take pleasure in the ordinary things...

what greener city thumbs in the city get up to...

oh, a beautiful blog all about balcony gardens,

another about nyc roof gardens

and an indoor tree solution for those of us who can't grow & nurture nature