Sarah Gibbard Cook
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Garden Lessons for Post-Pandemic Life

7/5/2021

4 Comments

 
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Pulling weeds, I ponder my options as the pandemic wanes. Resume old habits? Keep the slower pace? Try something new?

When we changed house four-and-a-half years ago, my gardening know-how extended to digging dandelions. The abundant perennials left by the previous owner have been teaching me ever since. A recent sampling:
  • More isn’t always better. Short of dandelions and garlic mustard, I once treasured anything that bloomed. Lovely as daisies and violets can be, over time I’ve seen such treats detract when they interrupt a solid swath of beebalm or gooseneck loosestrife—or writing time.
  • Fill the gaps selectively. A bare patch of dirt or calendar space is an opportunity to add needed color for the off-season. Don’t just plug in the first donated plant, or invitation or committee assignment, before considering how it helps balance the garden overall.
  • Allow for surprise and change. Poppies, roses, and rare visits from loved ones are welcome wherever they pop up. I would never have heard of honey garlic or leadplant if I uprooted everything unplanned. On the other hand, some flowers that once thrived here are no longer any more viable than the six-mile hikes I used to enjoy. Time to let them go.
What lessons do you find among the blossoms?
4 Comments
Christine DeSmet link
7/5/2021 08:20:37 am

Flowers always eventually bloom in the worst situations. Nature seems to remind us that there's something to smile about eventually or even in the moment. Flowers often signal hope as well as happiness.

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Sarah Cook link
7/5/2021 10:33:30 am

Wonderful reminder. I had a friend feeling stuck in a troubled marriage. Walking along an old city sidewalk, she noticed a delicate flower growing up among the cracks. It gave her the hope and courage to do what she needed to do.

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Rebecca Cuningham link
7/5/2021 04:29:12 pm

Wonderful garden of life comparisons, Sarah. I find that I am challenged to know when to say when. Bishop's weed keeps me honest in that regard. I can only corral it so much, and then I need to let go and try again next year. Thanks!

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Sarah Cook link
7/6/2021 07:42:35 am

So true, Rebecca. Bishop's weed is so decorative - and it certainly has a mind of its own. The time comes when it's time to give up, till next year.

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    I'm a historian who writes novels and literary nonfiction. My home base is Madison, Wisconsin. 

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