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Take a risk
“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” ~John Assaraf Talk about taking a risk … This scrappy little pansy found its way between two brick pavers on our patio and managed to bloom on a chilly spring morning. As soon as I spotted it, I got the message: When we push past our so-called limitations, we can accomplish anything. Photo by Cindy La Ferle
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Zen and the art of gardening
—Titled “The Art of Midlife Gardening,” this essay was originally published in Victoria magazine. Last spring, members of our local Master Gardener Society invited me to speak at one of their meetings. I was honored, at first, but as soon as the date of the talk rolled around, I started getting nervous. And with good reason. Master Gardeners aren’t just fooling around with bulbs and blossoms. These folks earn a minimum of 40 hours of instruction in horticulture science. Meeting for at least 11 weeks, they take classes in caring for indoor and outdoor plants, establishing lawns, growing vegetables and fruit trees, designing gardens, and more. I bow to their…
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The Healing Power of Gardening
“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~May Sarton Gardening restores me — no matter what else is going on around me. The essay below is a tribute to my Scottish-immigrant grandfather and his garden. It first appeared a few years ago in Country Gardens and was reprinted in the American and British editions of Reader’s Digest. It’s also included in my essay collection, Writing Home. Grandpa’s Ferns My grandfather was the proverbial Scottish curmudgeon, born and bred on a farm in the Orkney Islands. In his last…
