Tending the Labyrinth

There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to keep the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth's grass path and gardens tended. To make it the peaceful and beautiful oasis that it has become.

Garden tools at the entrance standing stone - getting ready to tend the labyrinth.

The Town of Carleton Place trims around the stones that edge the labyrinth path.

Tending the CP Community Labyrinth is a labour of love that our small committee has embraced for a decade! We couldn't do it without the help of the maintenance crew of the Town of Carleton Place - and more recently with the help of the Carleton Place and District Horticultural Society!

Edging and trimming the garden beds - much easier with extra hands helping!

Due to various circumstances, at times there were primarily only 2 or 3 active labyrinth committee members (aka labyrinth keepers) this year. One of our members proactively took it upon herself to put together a presentation and attend a CP and District Horticultural Society meeting with an idea...

We suggested connecting the Victoria School Museum Garden beside the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum somehow to the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth.  And asked for help with the maintenance of the gardens.

So thankful for the expert tree-trimming help.

The finished stone bench garden - so inviting now to sit and reflect.

As a first step, in the fall of 2019, we worked together with several CP and District Hort Society folks to tend the garden beds and trees surrounding the labyrinth. It was fun to work together - and to learn more about pruning and gardening as we went along.

The wooden bench garden trimmed and edged, with some lovely hostas added.

We thank the labyrinth for the inspiration to ask for help! And look forward to further developing the idea of connecting the Museum garden and the labyrinth in 2020.

This leaf, found at the centre of the labyrinth on our garden-tending day, a good reminder to just "let go"!

The Gift of our Weekly Walks

Colourful flower box at the entrance sign

We have greatly enjoyed being "keepers of the labyrinth" this summer - while taking turns hosting the Weekly Walks at the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth on Tuesdays from 9 am to 10 am. Whether someone new comes to learn about and walk the labyrinth, or not - it has truly been a gift - to spend a quiet hour tending to the gardens and the labyrinth paths and being "in the moment" in this peaceful place.
 

Here are some reflections about the Weekly Walk on Tuesday August 28th...
"I am never alone when I walk the labyrinth. Although no one came to walk today I was surrounded by nature's little miracles. When I first arrived a dove was resting on the path, on closer inspection two plump babies had been artfully hidden under the large green leaves in the hosta border. Mother dove and I gave one another the once over, seeing me as no threat to the little ones, she cooed some cautionary advice to her babies, and flew off - leaving me to mind her wee ones.

Momma Mourning Dove on the Contemplation Ring



Plump babies artfully hidden in the Hostas

 Not long after a black squirrel quickly scampered through the labyrinth as if in a panic realizing that he was woefully behind in the nut gathering and storing activity of fall. A chickadee sang cheerfully over my head as I was weeding under the Amur Maple.

On this beautiful morning I was mindful of small miracles."

Debby

The good news is - there are still nine more weekly walks - as we will be there from now until Tuesday October 30th!  Give yourself the gift of some time spent at the labyrinth, who knows what you will discover?