The armchair gardener

I think the most devoted gardeners tend to be daydreamers: those who like to let their minds wander, and gladly follow the meanderings. Daydreamers don't generally appreciate the instant-gratification, had-to-be-done-yesterday world, where most people proclaim (proudly) that their cell phones are like appendages. Dreamers tend to tune into a broader range of signals, prompted by the distant call of the mourning dove or the gentle buzz of a passing bumble bee.

In the early-morning birdsong, I seek out my armchair, coffee in hand, and take in nature's symphony. The babbling stream provides the bass to a harmony of nature's wonders--from the whisper of hummingbird wings to the lusty stirring of leaves in the breeze overhead, my greatest gardening feats--those in my mind--are accomplished right in my sturdy wicker chair. In my head I create visions of floral loveliness from my front curb to the woods far behind the house. I can usually retain the remnants of these mental imaginings long enough to scribble a few notes in my gardening journal. These are often the thoughts, scribbled hastily between the lines, that provide the inspiration for my favorite plant pairings.

Let's face it, we're a society of goal-oriented overachievers. We want to do what we do, quickly, and then be on to the next task. That's how we assure ourselves that we matter. Each day I challenge myself to take a few moments to just be me, in all my unremarkable glory. The garden setting soothes me, the sounds settling around me like a lullaby. In the serenity I realize that the things humans value are often skewed. Pride, prestige, power, wealth. Not evil values in and of themselves, but not important to the tiny tufted titmouse balancing on my birdfeeder. Even the most vital things in our world--love and life itself--don't hold sway with the chickadee swishing her tail feathers in the birdbath on my patio. She'll sing to her heart's content, then take flight, flapping her tiny wings ever upward, and soaring through the sky--oblivious to my human struggles.

I glance at the glorious peony blooming beside my bearded iris and crimson poppy. In a few days the blossoms will have faded away, but that doesn't diminish the immeasurable pleasure the blooms give me right now. Nature teaches us about patience and purpose., and that all things in this world are of utmost importance at some point in time--even if just for the 24-hour lifespan of a daylily blossom.

Today, be a dreamer. And dream big.