Sometimes the Most Rewarding Things are the Least Expected

My mom is a talented artist and gardener. She has taught me so much about creating and appreciating beauty in art and nature. She has an amazing garden which I've always admired.

Last year my husband and I moved out of the city and into a house with a yard. I thought I'd love a garden like my mom's but that I'd need to hire a landscape designer and landscapers. I never thought I had the patience or interest in gardening. In fact, it sounded kind-of boring and awful to me. I liked the results but didn't want to engage in the process. She encouraged me to try it out and start small and last year I planted a few perennials.

Well, this spring, I've found it very exciting to watch these flowers grow back, even more full and beautiful than last year. My mom helped me add to the garden and now I'm hooked. I've found gardening to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things I've ever done. I love looking outside each day and seeing the new developments.

This weekend my husband and I are going to see a Dead (formerly Grateful Dead) concert. There's a quote in a song called Scarlet Begonias:

"Once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right."

(I planted scarlet begonias in my yard and this quote seems fitting to my gardening experience)

Think about what you've resisted or thought you couldn't or wouldn't do, and try it out. Start small and see what happens.

Here's a picture of my mom painting in France.

Comments

[DQ]

I love gardening to and watching all the work I did last year is so rewarding. Thank you for sharing and prompting me to think about what we can create in the garden. Very nice article.

DQ

[Larina Kase]

Your comment made me realize how it's fitting that my mom got me into gardening-- seeing the work of previous years in the garden is akin to seeing the work (and joys and beauty) of raising your kids...