Throughout Christian history, the faithful have recognized that truth, goodness, and beauty, are inseparable. Truth is both good and beautiful; goodness is beautiful and true; and beauty is both true and good. This idea is called “The Unity of the Trancendentals”. If we recognize this unity exists, then NCU should be a place where we learn about all three ideas. It should be just as important that we study “beauty” at NCU, as it that we learn the “truth” here and what it means to be “good”. For me as a Gardener, this idea informs all I do. I seek to make our campus a visual expression of the truth, goodness, and beauty that we study in our classrooms.
This spring at NCU: The spring flowers have been putting on a fabulous show this year. The weather has been extraordinarily dry and warm. Students have been out on the quad in swarms, soaking up the golden rays of the sun that they have been missing all winter. While the weather has brought a lot of joy, it hasn’t all been for the best in the garden. Drought has required irrigation a full month early to keep the lawns and flowers green and healthy. Warmth has caused many of our shrubs to bloom a full month ahead of schedule. Many tulips, rhododendrons, and azaleas that traditionally bloom for commencement weekend are long gone.
For those of you visiting our campus this weekend there is still plenty of color. The late rhodies are just opening: Check out “Manda Sue” at the Chapel, “Mrs Furnivall” at Burke-Griffith, or “Purple Splendor” next to the old house. The beds along the Goodrich Path continue their regular show with Wallflowers, Columbine, and Meadowtrue ‘Black Stockings’ in bloom this week (among many others). If we are lucky, the “Tree Peony” will still have some of its’ giant white blossoms that are not to be missed.
Have a wonderful commencement weekend and don’t forget to drop by and see what’s in bloom this summer!
— Kent Willocks, NCU Grounds Keeper