“Designing the garden is like learning to speak. You begin with odd words – learning the individual plants. Then you create a simple phrase, finding two or three plants that look well together, next comes a sentence and finally the complete story.”
~ BETH CHATTO
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| Sage and Lavender |
It really is humbling, this gardening love. In the springtime, I see such hope and am awed by the newest of growth. Flowers are bursting with color...and the smell? Heaven.
But then, as these dog days of summer come, there comes a feeling of desperation.
Are the tomatoes growing?
What IS that bug?
Oh. I guess that the cucumbers have given up?
Every walk in the garden is punctuated by successes. And failures, too. To be quite honest, I live in a wonderful area surrounded by ancient oak and dogwood trees. My two garden boxes are placed in a spot that gets sun, but later in the day. As I look at the plants, it is plain to see the STRETCHING that they are doing. Feeling a little guilty, actually, as I haven't given them the proper place to grow....
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| See the spindliness? |
And then, most unwelcome, that thought extends to my sweet boys.
Are they growing well?
Have I given them the love and joy and sunshine that they need?
As I breathe a prayer, I am gently reminded that this life is a journey, and a process. We walk toward grace in faith and love and hope and while the process may be messy and tragic and full of weeds, the fruit that comes is indeed blessed and we are grateful indeed.
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| Can you see the zucchini? |
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| Lovely, hope-filled zucchini flowers |
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| Okra |
My garden and my life may have its share of weeds and bugs and drought. But looking closely? I wouldn't trade it for the largest or most lush garden in the world. No. My journey with my husband and my boys is worth so much more.
As we color our world with our dreams and plant seeds of hope and faith, we bask in the light of our faith, and enjoy the flowers that happen to come our way.
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