In between short holidays, amidst a springtime tidy up of our garden –which was followed in close order by spring cleaning of our house– in preparation for summer downtime… I remarked to my co-worker (the G.O.) that I should have gotten into gardening when I was younger… rather than beginning in my 50’s.
But as the Chinese proverb goes, “Life begins the day you start a garden.”
That said, some days I just don’t feel like showing up but if I don’t who will… Once I’m out there the garden seduces me… one movement, one task at a time. The garden doesn’t really need me, although it responds to my hand. However, I need it. We have a benevolent partnership. The garden would prevail without my input… with it though, both of us are less wild and more productive.
Fill a watering can, then another and another. Pull a weed, then another and another. Don’t be too fussy. Trim a vine here and there. Prune a branch here and there. Snip a dead head here and there. Give back to the earth by bestowing detritus within the compost bin. Dig over soil adding an offering of good compost. Sow a few seeds. Save a few seeds. Gently embed a plant while uttering an accompanying prayer for its future wellbeing. Slow life… slow garden. The rewards are many beyond the obvious edibles, flowers and verdant surrounds: physical activity, Vitamin D, beneficial fauna habitat and inimitable feeling of accomplishment that comes of helping a plant grow.
It’s that time of the year where after winter clean up and preparation of summer garden there is opportunity for reflection. Following a reasonably dry winter, we’ve had over 250mm rain during the past week… and it looks set to continue into summer. The garden is looking lush! Much more so than this time last year.
From my camera roll…
Something else I did this year… added a Permaculture Journey page to the blog; an overview of how we got to this point.
“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” – Minnie Aumonier
daleleelife101.blog 
What a wonderful and luscious garden – of flowers and edibles – let alone the great garlic harvest – rain has certainly been your friend – thanks for sharing your “feast”
Cheers Catherine in NZ
LikeLike
Such is the nature of gardening… I was battling to keep the water up to it through a dry winter. But at the moment the garden is luscious aka very damp underfoot, and we expect it will continue over summer. Let’s hope the plants hold up to all the moisture.
LikeLike
Nothing more therapeutic than working with your hands … and when nurturing hands bring forth an amazing harvest whether it be fruits or vegetables or beautiful flowers both the hands and the soul is overflowing 🥰
I love your garden and take great pleasure in all your photographs. Can’t wait to see you & your handiwork in March 😍
LikeLike
Even when the hands, as mine are, somewhat rusty with age! It just takes more time. Let’s hope the summer weather is kind to us… regardless the garden will be what it is in March. Looking forward to your company then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even the worms grow lush and big in your garden! Your comment ” The garden would prevail without my input… with it though, both of us are less wild and more productive.” is so right. It is a joy to spend time in the garden, making it, and me, a little less wild.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The raised bed where we discovered the earthworm is 5 years old created from layers of crap clay soil, newspaper and hay. Gardens also help us understand that some things take time… a lesson that gets easier with age, in my case at least.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is parsley season, where my parsley plants go to seed and attract so many different insects. I am not sure what the people who walk past think, but I hope they stop and watch. A garden makes you take notice.
LikeLike
I really appreciate parsley season because it took so long for my plants to make themselves at home and self seed year after year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also find once I get out into my tiny garden one task leads into another and gradually the garden responds to my touch and I feel a satisfaction that doesn’t seem to come in the same way from anything else. I loved your line ‘The garden would prevail without my input… with it though, both of us are less wild and more productive.’ And the final quote is perfect. Your garden looks so lush and bountiful, even for the worms!
LikeLiked by 2 people
As you are well experienced with… the nature of the seasons have a lot to do with it. There’s only so much we can control… even in manmade environments as evidenced by a recent news clip of a greenhouse going for a wild ride on the wind near Rockhampton. Being here, in one place for almost 6 years has really helped my perspective, that lots of small efforts plus allowing the garden its own time, pays off.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your house and garden are a gift, Dale! So beautiful. And have I said how much I want an enclosed veggie patch like yours? lol Gardens provide food for the soul as well as the stomach.
LikeLike
We often comment to each other how fortunate we are to be here and love what we have and do. It’s a good fit for us. Until it happened I had no idea how good the garden would be for my whole self. There’s many ways to accomplish something like our caged garden… lots of inspo via Google and Pinterest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here, Dale. I always loved watching my Dad garden, and I must have picked up a lot without knowing it, but I didn’t start actually doing any gardening until I was in my thirties.
My next door neighbour put up a chook pen for her 3 chickens – metal frame, mesh roof and walls, with a proper door. Unfortunately it’s just not in our budget at the moment. Plus the spot where it would do well is on a slope so way beyond my capabilities. Maybe one day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you get that garlic dry? You’ve obviously had heaps more rain than us to date, we’re only just getting past the brown and crispy stage. However, there’s a flush of new sappy growth, and I think I’ll have a nice crop of turmeric this year! I have a series of pink & green plant/flower photos I must turn into a collage and post. Too good to forget…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fingers crossed for the garlic… it’s high and dry on racks in the shed. Looking like we’ll have a rainy summer which on the upside means less time filling and emptying watering cans. Looking forward to seeing you tropical garden pics.
LikeLike
A full water tank is a wonderful thing… Tomorrow for the pics.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lush garden!!! It is so soothing to potter around the garden. Can while away hours doing so potting and weeding and pruning and planting and worm farming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have been fortunate with the rain… just enough and not so much the garden can’t handle it. Yes! I think a proper worm farm is next on my list.
LikeLike
Love my worm farms. I have several. So easy. Minimises landfill.
LikeLike
That final quote rings true with me. And your images show just how your little piece of land flourishes and gives back to you! I have had a garden of some sort all of my life. I have learned so much along the way. When we moved to Forrest’s grandparents ten acres where we live now, gardening became a passion – more than the pride and satisfaction I felt with my city gardening. Every year I say I will cut back on my vegetable gardening, but each winter I find myself making plans, while preparing the soil for spring. Every spring I say, “Oh, I’ll put in just a few things”, but it’s always so much more than that. Gardening has healed my mind and strengthened my body. It’s fed us and the wildlife we care for. Forrest and I have not been to a doctor in years. I can’t help but think that gardening heals the body and mind, and gives us everything we need to flourish, and live well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have written a beautiful testimony to gardening. It’s so nice to be in the company of gardeners. For me the garden is a balance of time, energy and what sort of season we have… Similarly to you as the next season approaches I usually say I won’t do much but as my years pass while gardening hasn’t become physically easier for me, I’ve become more patient, wiser and better at biting it off in small chunks, and so I’ve been able to achieve more, and the garden has grown… often via my inclination to let it follow its own inclination. I’d like it to produce more but I think we’re at its sweet spot of effort and reward.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am very late catching up with the blogs I read so I am sorry that this comment is so delayed after you posted it. Your garden is an inspiration and you have done a wonderful job of describing the joys of gardening. I must say that I enjoy the rest winter rains bring, although I don’t enjoy watching the weeds grow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My blog reading been ad hoc as has my weeding… which is currently suffering from procrastination in the form of blog reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow! what a beautiful space! and such harvest! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you ☺
LikeLike
“Life begins the day you start a garden.” Umm…I wish that were true for me. Sadness began the day I started mine. But ha ha, it’s a funny story that I tell to my friends and hope that my green-fingered dad isn’t in earshot. I’m looking forward to picking up a tip of two from you. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Life is full of funny stories! I think we gardeners are the ultimate gamblers… we bet our efforts against the seasons and elements…. time and time again because imo life is sad without some sort of growing things. After yet another #rainbomb our garden is a sodden mess but mostly salvageable… with a bit of work. Good luck with your garden 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said Dalelee! I couldn’t agree more. It is a gamble and yes, life is sad without growing things. I hope your sodden soil eventually is blessed by the moisture and produces some crops to make you smile. Thanks for the encouragement!
LikeLiked by 1 person