One of the first things I noticed about Dublin was the abundance of flowers. On our walk to Blackrock yesterday there were so many front gardens that had rose bushes and trees. Even the weeds lining the transit tracks were beautiful. Earlier that day we visited the Clinton Center at University College Dublin, which was treasure trove of picture opportunities with flowers set against the stone wall background. Then, as we were exploring Dublin, we discovered a book store, which was hosting a book launch. The new book, The Open Gardens of Ireland, literally delves into the gardens around Ireland. After reading a bit of the book last night, it is very obvious that a large portion of this book is about the people behind the gardens. The gardens themselves represent an area of intimacy and power for the gardener, and they have allowed the author and reader to access this space. Through this book, I am becoming an insider in the garden, rather than an outsider looking in. In fact, the author even thanked the owners of the gardens for allowing her access to their gardens, because they are such an intimate space. By entering this space, I now feel a deeper connection to the gardens I will continue to see. There is always a story behind a garden, because they take time and commitment to upkeep, they rarely just occur by happenstance. So, by having a better understanding of some of the gardens, I will be able to appreciate future garden observations even more. And I am so, so thankful that happened upon the book launch. I was just in the really right place at the exact right time.