A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift. Above all, it teaches entire trust." Gertrude Jekyll
We have about 32 raised 4'x8' beds in our garden. Decimated by deer, rabbits and other varmints through the years, we finally constructed a 6' fence two years ago. The raised beds are all enclosed within the fence behind our house.
I don't love working the garden -- I love appreciating the garden. My husband, Ed, however loves to work (lucky me). Even luckier, sometimes my 83 year old father in law comes to help in the garden. Now is the time to clean the garden beds of all the debris from last year. This means removing and composting any dead plants from last year, and pruning any perennials. Our perennials in the enclosed garden are peonies, iris, day lilies, liatris, gladiolas, some herbs, stargazer and other oriental lilies, roses, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and some asparagus.
We always find that we wish we had been more vigilant about cleaning the garden before the winter. But we don't, so now we start with a real mess. Weeds populating through the dead wood and debris from a garden long forgotten. Much more work to be done with this effort. To all my gardening friends -- good luck!
The metaphor of the garden teaches us that we must get rid of the clutter and debris in order for anything to take root and grow. So we must be vigilant about decluttering, clearing, cleaning, discarding, etc.
PURGE! What can you clear out, clean out, dispose of, give away or purge? Unless we can be ruthless about this act, we never make space for new life.
We have about 32 raised 4'x8' beds in our garden. Decimated by deer, rabbits and other varmints through the years, we finally constructed a 6' fence two years ago. The raised beds are all enclosed within the fence behind our house.
I don't love working the garden -- I love appreciating the garden. My husband, Ed, however loves to work (lucky me). Even luckier, sometimes my 83 year old father in law comes to help in the garden. Now is the time to clean the garden beds of all the debris from last year. This means removing and composting any dead plants from last year, and pruning any perennials. Our perennials in the enclosed garden are peonies, iris, day lilies, liatris, gladiolas, some herbs, stargazer and other oriental lilies, roses, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and some asparagus.
We always find that we wish we had been more vigilant about cleaning the garden before the winter. But we don't, so now we start with a real mess. Weeds populating through the dead wood and debris from a garden long forgotten. Much more work to be done with this effort. To all my gardening friends -- good luck!
The metaphor of the garden teaches us that we must get rid of the clutter and debris in order for anything to take root and grow. So we must be vigilant about decluttering, clearing, cleaning, discarding, etc.
PURGE! What can you clear out, clean out, dispose of, give away or purge? Unless we can be ruthless about this act, we never make space for new life.
There were no plants or grain growing on the earth, because the Lord had sent no rain. And no one was there to cultivate the soil. Genesis 2:5
Do you think that God's intent in creating us was for us to cultivate -- to garden?
So true.. Just read about the relationship btw the vine and the branches (Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ, day 4) This reminds me that if your relationship to the vine is not good, you will be pruned and thrown into the fire.. yikes! I don't want that to happen to me.
ReplyDeleteCan I come over and help you clean out your beds?
Enjoyed the metaphor of the garden!
ReplyDelete