July 2008 Archives

During a recent interview, I was asked if I had a favorite garden. It was an interesting question but narrowing it down to just one is like trying to name your favorite child. I replied by saying that my favorite garden is always the last one I visited. And frankly, there was some truth to that. I find beauty in every garden I visit and there is always something unique that makes each one a special memory. But the question did get me thinking about what I really do consider some of my favorite things about being in a garden and the passion I have for gardening.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• The smell of healthy soil, along with how it looks and feels
• Compost
• Strolling a garden at sunrise with a cup of coffee
• Strolling a garden at sunset with a glass of wine
• The smell of fresh cut grass, tomato seedlings and the garden after it rains
• The sound that pruners make as they cut
• Hummingbirds and butterflies
• Solitude
• Companionship
• Wonder
• Freshly mulched beds
• Where time stands still
• Where time flies by
• The sound of tree frogs
• The look of sunlight through foliage, especially in the early morning and late in the day
• The juice of a ripe tomato running down my arm
• The look on a child’s face after eating fresh corn from the stalk or sugar snap peas, picked right off the vine
• The scent of fresh herbs on my hands
• Anticipation, serendipity and a new surprise every day
• The lessons of life are found here
• The first sight of daffodils breaking ground in winter
• Dirty clothes, a filthy body, and that “good tired” at the end of the day
• The connection gardeners have with each other and I with the earth
• The resiliency of nature
• The awesomeness of God 

…these are a few of my favorite things. I have more, but what about you?

JL