GARDEN SURROUNDINGS: Inviting People To Enjoy The Garden
- k-england
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! June 2025.
Inviting People to Enjoy the Garden
There is a line from the movie Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner,
“If you build it, he will come.”
I have always remembered that expression with a “they”. I talked to my children about the spiritual significance of the statement when they were growing up and I have used it for myself throughout my life.
The wisteria never looked more phenomenal than it has looked this year. And then the roses started opening up...
Eight weeks ago, I invited the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild plein air painters to come and paint in my garden. This spring I also invited friends that love to paint and people that I knew would love the experience to come and paint or just to sit and visit. People came on Tuesdays and Thursdays and sometimes on Fridays (and other days as well) to paint and visit the garden. One day I had as many as seventeen people and some days there were one or two people and other days eight or more.
One day, a neighbor, boy, and his buddies walked through the garden. His father is a retired football player, and he’s a very sports minded lad, I could hear him singing,...
“da da ddaa … here comes the bride...”
... as he walked through the wisteria. It was so darling. I giggled under my breath.
Mama, Pat Welsh, enjoys coming practically every weekend to see the garden before we then go out to dinner. We sit in different areas and talk about how wonderful it is to be listening to the birds, watching the butterflies flit to and fro, from flower to flower, gathering nectar on their feet. Mama remarked,
"Francie, sitting in your garden reminds me of when my Mum used to come to see my garden and would admire all the plants and flowers. And now I love coming to your garden Francie, and admiring the beauty you have created, and it smells so good too.” ~Mama, Pat Welsh
We work in our gardens, but it can also be fun to share its beauty and the tranquil feelings of being surrounded by nature with others.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
The garden is a sanctuary for myself, and I am so grateful to have this space but it’s also wonderful to share with others the joy I feel and its remarkable beauty.
Enjoy this June working in your garden and I hope you too will invite people over to have a deep chat, a walk around, or just to be quiet in your garden.
Happy Gardening!
~Francesca
Artist, author, photographer, fly-fisher woman, Francesca Filanc grew up in old Del Mar and these days lives, paints and gardens in historic Olivenhain with her two dogs.
Find her art and writings here:
She can be found on social media:
Have gardening questions or want to learn more about Francie’s art? Contact: Franfilanc@gmail.com
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