As I’m writing this post, there is a lot going on in our world. It’s almost too much to handle and so I suppose, this post is timely. We cannot and should not put our heads in the sand and ignore the world around us. As heartbreaking and challenging as things are, ignorance is bliss and tempting; but it’s not realistic. While this is true, looking for the beautiful and those peaceful moments is equally important, I believe.
That’s why my garden has a been a lifesaver. Here’s 7 reasons why:
1.) My garden reminds me that it’s okay to wait for things. (AKA It’s making me more patient.)
We don’t like to wait; and in our one-click away culture, we often don’t have to. Gardening is a lot of tending. Once you plant those seeds, it’s days or even weeks before you see those little seed leaves poke through the soil. It’s much longer before you see actual fruit or flower buds. (Unless, you plant radishes. Those germinate quickly and are a great one to plant for kids.) Gardens don’t produce overnight. The pay off, though, is quite satisfying and worth the wait.
We’ve been doing a lot of waiting these past months, haven’t we?
2.) My garden is helping me be consistent.
During the first few months of our Sheltering In Place, I didn’t have places to go or people to see. Every single morning (except for a few exceptions), I would go out and check in on my garden. There was no busy schedule to distract from what a garden needs most: daily care.
And though my days are a tiny bit busier, my mornings are still pretty slow and I have time to upkeep my garden.
Everyday I water, I weed, I check to see if those carrot seeds I sowed are peeking through the soil, I prune back the dead flowers, and I inspect to see if any pests are eating any leaves. Then I see if there are any strawberries ready to be eaten.
It’s easier to be consistent when there are fewer things on your plate.
3.) My garden helps me create, not consume.
My garden is small. It’s not a garden that will eliminate my need to ever shop for vegetables again. I wish that were the case; but it’s not. Even in my little world of gardening, I’m amazed at the joy and satisfaction from starting something from a seed, smaller than the size of my pinky fingernail, and knowing it will grow into something my family can eat. That’s absolutely amazing to me!
4.)My garden is helping me to appreciate the weeds.
Yah, I know this sounds crazy; but it’s true. We have crab grass in our back yard, especially in my garden. Guys, crab grass is almost impossible to get rid of. It is a thorn in a gardener’s side. I worked really hard to clear it out; but it comes back if I don’t keep up on my weeding.
It reminds me that weeding a little bit every day keeps the weeds from completely taking over my garden. It’s hard work; and until I find a better solution, this is a task that I have to be diligent in. Kind of like life, right? Think about those hard things that keep popping up like bad habits, hard relationships or maybe health issues. We can’t give up on working on those hard things.
5.) Gardening helps me filter out the noise, even if just for a little while.
It’s a quiet little corner of my back yard, depending on what time of day I’m out there. I still have dogs, kids and neighbors. My favorite times are the early morning before the kiddos wake up and at night as the sun goes down. It is so peaceful in my little white picket fenced pocket.
6.) Gardening helps me slow down and appreciate small things.
I am so fascinated by bees. I purposefully planted a whole bed of just flowers, mainly wildflowers. The bees love it! Have you stopped and stared at a bee for just a few minutes, extracting pollen from a flower? Having a garden makes you stop and stare.
When I saw my first baby cucumber hiding under huge dark green leaves, I was ecstatic. After I spotted my first yellow flower, you would find me daily on my hand and knees peeking under those leaves looking for the first sign of a baby cuke. Small things.
7.) My garden helped me to envision a future where there was only a blank space.
I think that’s exactly the kind of hopeful exercise we need to be taking part of right now, don’t you? My very first garden started as a blank slate and a dream. This year’s garden already had some strawberries and flowers; but I didn’t know exactly how it would all turn out.
What’s been helping you during this Covid season?
