Post date: Sunday, Feb 12, 2023
Many books speak of time well spent in a secluded garden, with careful trimming of spent growth, transplanting new flowers, herbs, and vegetables into richly prepared earth, or gazing raptly on the graceful curve of a budding flower or the beauty of dappled greenery. This is a quiet, contemplative time, where one can devote all of one's attention to nature's splendor.
Rarely do such books speak of the pleasure to be had in an very non-secluded urban garden, especially one that comprises your entire front yard. Much as folks used to "talk over the back fence" with their neighbors, we've found great joy while gardening, in conversing with our neighbors as they walk by our yard.
In the early spring, it is an ideal time to catch up with those who have been largely housebound, or in no mood to stop when it is below zero degrees! With several thousand square feet of garden, it is a double pleasure to rekindle friendships (and make new friends), while also getting a break from hours of dead heading or preparing the soil.
As the spring turns into summer, more and more people emerge from their homes like newly hatched birds. Dog walkers pass by more often, emboldened by the warmer weather to walk to the large park near our house. Flocks of brightly clothed joggers, grouped together like migrating songbirds, sometimes stop to both talk.. and catch their breath. We love meeting and talking with them all, especially if we have been pulling weeds for a while!
Our garden goes through many phases of growth from spring to fall, starting with the smallest and earliest bulbs, such as winter aconite and snow drops. As they fade, the crocus, grape hyacinth, wind flowers, and jonquils bring new vibrancy. Then comes the flowering vinca, tulips of all shapes and colors, daffodils, and many other bulbs, along with iris, lettuce, and other greens. By the time the bulbs are spent, the yard is alive with hundreds of pots of flowers, many flowering perennials, and greenery of shrubs and ferns. All of these invite conversation, reflection, and interaction.
We have realized over the years that our garden is truly an agent of connection, binding us not just to the cycles of the seasons, but to the neighborhood. It joins us together in the appreciation of natural beauty, and fills our hearts with appreciation for both nature and those who live around us.
To get to the next page, click on this link: https://www.manateeinthemirror.com/post/the-dominican-republic-experience (soon) If you would like to follow a specific topic, click on one of the following links. Friendship: https://www.manateeinthemirror.com/post/how-many-five-letter-words-are-there (soon) Gardening: https://www.manateeinthemirror.com/post/mr-plum-in-the-conservatory (soon) Day 7: 262.0
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