G is for Gardening

EDITOR’S BLOG
Instead of revitalizing my readers today with more good news — and I have a pile of stories waiting to be written-up and uploaded — I decided to revitalize the flower beds around our house. It was a gorgeous day and in the process I ended up revitalizing myself!

Gardening is great exercise, to be sure, and it leaves you with a great feeling, especially after cleaning weeds out of a bed and laying down in their place a thick layer of deep, dark soil or mulch. Planting seeds or seedlings brings even more satisfaction.

In the first five years as a stay-at-home mom, I was blessed to be residing in a house we’d bought — which turns any plant lover into a gardener. I planted a lot in those years. In 1997, when I began the Good News Network, I didn’t have the time to spend planting or digging much anymore but I didn’t need to because I had surrounded the house with perennials, and they sprouted flowers or vivid greenery year after year without any effort!

So, these are my two tips for anyone who wants to bring the spiritual essence of nature to their surroundings (whether rented or owned): 1) plant perennials … You don’t even need money to do so. Join any local garden club and you will meet hordes of gardeners wanting to GIVE away perennials, because this type of plant needs to be divided every few years, which is like having an extra crop to give away. (It’s like growing zucchini — you need to give them to neighbors.)

And, 2) instead of raking leaves and sending them to the landfill, make compost out of them. It is so easy and the best thing you can do to make a successful garden with NO effort. Bag the leaves, poke holes in the bags and stick them into a far corner of your yard. Leave them open to the weather… With 1-2 years of rain, the worms will find their way in and create, magically and guaranteed, a huge supply of rich, dark, wonderful soil, for free! Just dump it around your perennials, and you will have a glorious garden that will revitalize your spirit each and every time you take the time to bask in their glory.

I hope you will take some time to enjoy the natural world instead of working on your passion every minute of the week. Your art will benefit and your soul will too. Today as I dumped five bags of leaf mulch on the beds, I was nourished in the end by the effort.