Maplelawn Gardens in the Morning

It's getting close to midday at Maplelawn Gardens in Ottawa, Ontario.

I have found sanctuary from the heat, safe under the canopy of a massive maple tree. In this fleeting, quiet moment before the gardening volunteers arrive to pull, plant, and water, I have a front-row seat to Mother Nature’s art. From my cool retreat, I watch as she coaxes breathtaking blooms of yellow, pink, and purple to breathe open, creating yet another masterpiece for the day’s admirers.