How does your garden grow?

I love plants. I love them because they’re green and green is my favorite color. I love the smell of dirt and greenhouses. I love seeing new buds and new growth. I love the pure beauty and diversity of plants, flowers, and trees.

Actually, my mother is surprised I love planting and gardening so much. When I was a child I hid in the bathroom to read instead of helping her weed outside. As punishment she would hide my book and still make me weed. I still hate weeding and would much rather read but plants fascinate me; how they grow and thrive in a universe of their own. They’ve also taught me some significant life lessons.

~ All flowers have to grow through dirt. Similarly, if there was no mud there would be no lotus. That being said, we all have the same beginning; at the bottom. It is the growth that builds our foundation for the rest of our lives.

~ Different plants have different growing seasons. Don’t compare your bud to another flower’s final blossom. You are right where you need to be in your growth spert, just like the individuals next to you. When landscaping designers plan a mixture of perennials, annuals, and evergreens. This way there is color and growth continuously all year long. How boring and deary would it be if we all bloomed and died at the exact same time?

~ Just like growing seasons different plants require different treatment to keep them alive. It’s important to know what specific soil, water, light, temperature, and container your plants need to thrive the best. It is also perfectly fine, and completely normal, if another human being lives their life differently so that they may flourish as well.

~ Some plants will die. I have killed so many plants before I figured out how to properly care for them. Some perennials won’t grow back after winter. Some seeds or bulbs, if not stored properly, will only die when finally planted. Even reliable, stalwart trees can become diseased and need to be cut down. While this is sad to witness it’s also expected; it’s simply the cycle of plant life. It makes room for new growth, maybe a new landscape design, or a chance to try a new plant in your garden. But every ending is followed by a new beginning.

~ Despite your best efforts weeds will still grow and bugs will invade. It’s inevitable. There are preventive steps you can take; laying down weed fabric, plastic, or even layers of newspaper. You can use sprays, mostly chemically based, or other natural steps like ladybugs or plants that repel certain pests. Likewise, we can allow problems in our lives run overgrown and unchecked until it’s overwhelming. Or we can face them; prune them, dig them out, find the source and then a solution. But realize this, the weeding and bug removing never stops. If we want to keep learning and progressing then we must stay vigilant ourselves.

~ Winter can seem like certain periods of life that are dark, cold, and never ending. What’s often unseen is below the frozen ground. Bulbs planted in autumn are slowly gaining the life and strength they need to burst through into spring. Physiologically, they need that dormant time to flourish. There will always be periods of dormancy in life but don’t forget the growth that is happening just below the surface. Winter will never skip its turn, but spring will always follow.

~ Plants are much more resilient than we give them credit. Pansies can withstand incredibly cold temperatures yet still thrive and blossom beautifully. You are more resilient, strong and beautiful than you may believe.

~ Be always blooming.

Sarah Lorna