Out of the gate, I confess that writing a blog post about how much I love a beautiful garden and then showing pictures of ours is more than a tad blasphemous.

I have friends who are passionate gardeners. They’re beyond worthy of holding hands with Mother Nature; indeed, gardening is clearly one of their superpowers. It’s their therapy. I honestly believe it’s a way to nurture their souls.

The results of their efforts — carefully crafting the plan, visiting garden centers, and tending the soil — are nothing short of divine. They maintain a committed relationship with their compost pile. They select the right plants and know where to position them, and the canvases they create of vibrant foliage and lush blossoms reflect not only their personal joy, but also stop admiring passersby in their tracks.

I’m not that guy. I cheat. I don’t get dirty. I don’t get sunburned. I’m along for the show.

You see, we inherited a magnificent garden when we purchased our Forever Home here in the High Country of North Carolina in October 2021. The credit for our vibrant garden goes entirely to the late Dr. William C. “Bill” Tate II, a renowned physician in Avery County who was known for the compassion and care he displayed in treating his patients. Dr. Tate made a significant difference in many lives in the High Country, leaving behind a legacy rooted in community service in our rural community.

Aside from giving back, Dr. Tate’s passion was gardening and plants. Starting in 2007, he cultivated his garden — both front and back yards. The space eventually became an orchestral arrangement of stunning flora, overflowing with life, color, and fragrance.

And so, non-gardener me inherited this lush sanctuary of blooms.

When we purchased the home from Dr. Tate’s widow, Donna Smith Tate (also a healthcare provider), I immediately felt the pressure to maintain her late husband’s garden masterpiece. My wife and I knew, without question, we needed to do whatever it took to preserve and honor Dr. Tate’s vision.

Not wanting to let down the Tates, the surrounding community, and our new neighbors, I confided in Donna about my worries of being a brown-thumbed non-gardener and potential plant assassin. Classy lady that she is, Donna smiled and directed me to Dr. Tate’s longtime landscape groundskeeper. “Call Miguel Bacilio,” she advised, “and bring him on board in the same project capacity as Bill did.” I made that call and, thankfully, Miguel was eager to help preserve Dr. Tate’s garden masterpiece, which he had helped construct for more than a decade. Donna also shared with me Dr. Tate’s extensive files of plant purchases and his roadmap for creating the paradise we inherited.

Whew!

As spring approaches now in the High Country, mulching and fertilizing are complete, and we see signs of life emerging in the garden. Buds from an array of carefully selected plantings and trees are ready to pop. Nature knows her rhythms, just as Dr. Tate did.

There are many lovely quotes about spring, but my favorite comes from British philosopher Bernard Williams: “The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created spring.” The quote’s corollary is that there has never been a springtime when the buds forgot to bloom.

Dr. Tate’s enchanted garden is more than beautiful. At its peak, it becomes a vibrant, bustling sanctuary that attracts a diverse array of wildlife and creates a magical, essential ecosystem right outside our door.

Bees busily move from flower to flower, collecting pollen and nectar while ensuring the reproduction of more than 75% of flowering plants. Iridescent hummingbirds dart and hover between tubular, nectar-rich blooms and our own concoction of special hummingbird nectar. Butterflies flit about, adding colorful touches as they sample open flowers. A variety of other beneficial insects — from ladybugs to caterpillars — find food and shelter amongst the plants. Our quartet of always-stocked birdfeeders summons cardinals, Carolina chickadees and wrens, tufted titmice, blue jays, nuthatches, and various warblers, thrushes and other feathered creatures to the garden party. Disrupting the calm flow of the garden daily are squirrels and chipmunks scurrying for position on and under the feeders. Deer, too, are opportunistic feeders on a wide variety of our native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Since moving to the High Country, I have come to believe that a thoughtfully cultivated garden in bloom is one of Mother Nature’s most amazing contributions to our lives. Reflection and observation from our front porch swing is a blessed and nearly unmatched way to pass the time here in our mountain community.

Thank you. Dr. Tate. I hope we’re doing you, Donna and your family proud.

*************************************

Addendum from LSomerbyCooke …

The images below are from previous blooming seasons at our home here in North Carolina. Each year, we aim to improve upon the resplendent tapestry of the prior year, adding a few new features via confab between my wife and Dr. Tate’s right-hand landscaper. The garden’s peak this year is still to come, and we’re excited for that — I’ll post pixs on Facebook. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos capturing recent seasons at Dr. Tate’s High Country garden — a space we are deeply honored to care for.

The Tates and their garden were featured as far back as 2011 in the The Avery Post. Click here to review this feature story.

“Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!” (Sitting Bull)

Wishing you a spectacular burst of blooms and a magical spring!