Here at the gardens, nature endures. It doesn’t care about unfinished chores or fret over the calamity of the world. The lavender blooms, the storms pass, the seeds sprout, and the birds sing.
The more time I spend in the garden- and the more flowers, food and habitat we nurture- the more peaceful I feel. There’s so much I cannot control in this world, and while nature is a free agent, I too have agency. As I create and observe, I’m in awe that our “little by little” efforts have amounted to a very big difference.
When we moved into our home ten years ago, the established flower beds were minimal. Comprised of hostas, a few lilies, and a couple of box bushes, they weren’t exactly lookers, but this was fine. With three young kids, low maintenance was exactly what was needed at that stage in life.
Over the years, Matt rescued whatever sad clearance lilies he could find at the garden shop and tucked them into the bed along the side of the house. Only in the last three years have we really expanded the amount of garden space we’re tending. We began dreaming and working together toward a goal of re-wilding instead of just managing basic upkeeping. That shift has transformed our chores into a labor of love.
What we’ve created here at home has inspired me to share what we’ve learned. I want others to see how small, steady, intentional efforts can transform their own spaces. My hope is that they too find a sense of calm and connection while helping nature thrive and growing food that sustains them.
Thanks for meandering with me through my backyard garden journaling. To subscribe, hop over to Substack @wildrootsgardensniles. Link on Blog homepage!