Growing Simple Cut Flowers
One of my fondest memories as a young child was going outside to snack in the garden. As an adult it seems I had a knack for finding all the places in the U.S. with terrible clay soil. Recently I had raised beds made, so this year I was finally ready to attempt a garden. While I didn't have great success with vegetables, I did quite well with perennials and cut flowers. I kindly allowed imperfection in my garden, which I'm quite sure helped me enjoy it more. While I have always loved nature I have never considered myself much of a gardener. I was surprised how much joy it brought me, how much I loved going outside to work in it, how many little discoveries I made in it.
Each week I had the sweetest flowers that reminded me of the blooms my grandmother loved. I discovered the stubby vases I had landed for just a few dollars each at a local art sale were perfect for short stems like marigolds. As I took the time to make new simple arrangements each week, I noticed how much the process opened my heart. It gave me an excuse to go outside more, and helped me reconnect with nature more frequently. When life got crazy gardening helped me remember to ground myself and slow down. I was surprised how much a simple garden added joy to my life.
