I'm not one for sayings. My husband will tell you it's because I always get them wrong. I do like this one: Never leave a stone unturned. It's a revved-up version of Where there's a will there's a way, but with a decidedly horticultural twist. After all, we gardeners have to turn over a lot of stones to get to the deep, rich soil underneath.
A friend recently asked my advice about planting a flowerbed along a barren side of her house. I asked her all the pertinent questions, like: How much sun does the spot get? What's the soil and drainage situation in that area? What amount of maintenance are you willing to do? Do you get a lot of critters in your yard? What colors do you like? After patiently answering all those questions and more, and then waiting for me to ponder for a bit, I made a number of plant suggestions. My friend politely thanked me...then decided to do nothing.
Okay, you could say it's my ego that was hurt. I went back to school for horticultural design. I came up with solutions to her multifaceted yard situation. Had it been another person--one who wasn't one of my dearest friends for more years than I'd like to recall--you may be correct. Fortunately our deeply forged friendship transcends such pettiness. But her reaction to my suggestions did make me curious about her life.
Divorcing a few years back and launching herself into a full-time job has been exciting for her--and exhausting. Her kids are amazing--and challenging at times, like all kids can be. She claimed to have neither the desire, spare cash nor know-how to transcend her outdoor spaces. She explained that she plans on selling her house in a few years, so why bother making it really nice now?
On a practical level her words make sense, but on a spiritual level, I find my soul clenching. To me, that's like saying, Why bother living life to the fullest since I'm only going to die eventually? Perhaps that was a bit dramatic, but look, we all know that we can't control what our boss will demand, what our kids will try to get away with or what the weather will be like on any particular day of our lives, but we can control what we get to surround ourselves with in our own personal spaces. That's where my favorite saying comes in: Never leave a stone unturned. If you want a nice yard, then demand it of yourself! Do what you must to surround yourself in beauty. Got a tight budget? Check out the net for plant exchanges and wholesalers. I found my favorite local grower on Craigslist, and he gives me a discount when I buy in bulk. Need some "lawn jewelry?" I snagged the wrought iron birdbath in the photo, above, for $14.98 at Pier 1. This retailer, like most others, puts just about every item in their store on sale at some point. Create a watch list of your most-desired items and swing by on a weekly or monthly basis to keep tabs on the items.
As we all know, this life isn't a dress rehearsal; it's the real deal and we're on center stage. Remember this: We get to write the storyline. And home is where our tale begins. I am writing an epic, flipping every pebble, stone and boulder in my way. Planting catmint, yarrow, roses and spruce trees with abandon. Decorating my yard with the same gusto that I showered on my living room walls, dining and sleeping spaces.
All the great thinkers through the ages have offered some form of the same advice: live in the present. Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die, right? Maudlin as that seems, the advice is sound. From the sages of the ancient past to modern-day thinkers like Eckhart Tolle and the late Joseph Murphy, the message is the same: Don't put off doing the things that you want to do now because you won't be rewarded in the future. The thrill of today's activity IS the reward. Think on that while you stroll through your garden today. And enjoy every minute of it.
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