Gardening

I've never been much of a gardener; although I love flowers, herbs, and vegetable gardens.  I have always been intimidated by gardening, but thanks to two events, I am loosing my fear of this.

The first event was a couple of years ago when my friend, Yuki, came and helped me start a flower garden.  Yuki is my daughter, Laura's, mother-in-law and is Japanese.  She has been in American much of her adult life.  It was amazing to see her clean out the area we were going to use.  She asked for a butcher knife instead of a cultivator and wielded that as anyone else would have done with a garden implement...but better and faster.  I wish I had a video of that.  We planted several hostas, iris, day lilies, and a nandena bush she brought.  None of those died...a first for me.  I added other plants later.  Last year I bought several flats and planted; some made it, some did not.

The second event was coerced by my friend, Marlene.  I am now a member of the Tyne Meade Garden Club.  I planted a few herbs this fall, and my rosemary plant is still alive.  I am loosing my fear of "what if it does not look like it should".  I am just loving planting and seeing the growth and blooms.

This year there will be a third event since I won the door prize at our ladies retreat of gardening with Marge.  I have already ordered lots of herbs to plant with her.  We may do a bit of tomato planting, too.

Today I cleaned out the beds.  I was digging up a dead mum, when I noticed that underneath all that dead foliage, new life had begun.  I quickly replanted and just broke off the dead growth and enjoyed seeing the new creation.  Underneath the dead day lilies, new ones were bursting through the earth and the same with the hostas.  I found a few new iris shoots.  It made me think of God's word about as we shed this old body, we will be made new.  I hope in the eternal life I will be as lovely as the new growth I discovered today.

Here's hoping you will be surprised by nature and reminded of God's gifts.