Back to the bed... the garden variety
A week or two ago, my dad offered to send over his garden guy for a morning. I didn’t hesitate. I said yes before he could even finish the sentence. I knew I needed the help — I just hadn’t admitted it out loud yet. I said yes so quickly you'd swear I’d been waiting in my gumboots at the gate, secateurs in hand, ready for action.
I hadn’t touched the garden in a while. Not properly. Not with that usual kind of intention. I used to take pride in keeping it tidy and welcoming, but lately… life had got in the way. Emotions too. Break-ups have a strange way of making everything feel a bit heavy, even the things that once brought you joy.
something shifts when someone offers help. Real, practical help… not just some kind of "chin up, things get better" assistance that literally makes you want to throw a pot plant at their head, haha! No, this was grab a rake and let’s-do-something… kind of help. Not only that… it was also opening a door back to something that’s always been grounding for me.
We cleared the beds. Just seeing the outlines of those spaces again was absolutely amazing!!! The parts I once planted with excitement and plans - therapy without the couch!!! The plants could breathe… I COULD BREATHE! It’s such a simple thing, having your garden visible again, but it shifted something inside me.
ALL thanks to my mom… I will always have a love affair with gardening. Not the neat, manicured, English garden kind of passion… no, no, no – that’s for people with way too much time (and probably money) and also… no dogs or other animals haha! I mean… the kind where things are wonderfully wild and slightly chaotic, a happy balance between control and surrender. Where bees are frequent guests and weeds are gently questioned before eviction!!! Where the soil smells like memories, hope and love!
Getting all of this done promptly reminded me that I do actually have goals for my outdoor space... Big ones!!! And as with most good (and big) things in life, they start small. A bit of weeding. A patch of soil. A space reclaimed, YAY!
I’ve got ideas now. I want to set up raised beds this season, one section for food we can eat, another for tea plants… because making your own little herbal blends feels like a kind of self-care and it just makes my quirky, weirdo little soul happy, and one just for flowers I can cut and bring inside. I want to grow things that feed, soothe, and brighten… and in a way, that’s exactly what I’m trying to do for myself too.
I love how a garden can mirror you like that. When things fall apart, you can start feeling disconnected from your own space… even your own body. But stepping outside, getting your hands in the soil, hearing the birds carry on like everything’s just fine, that’s where the healing sneaks in. Not all at once, but bit by bit… and it is beautiful!
The hardest part is always starting. But once you do, it’s easier to keep going. So no, the garden isn’t perfect. It’s a bit wild in places and some spots I haven't even had a chance to think about yet... There’s still a lot to do. But there’s movement again. There’s purpose… and that feels (and looks) fantabulous!!!
❤❤❤
Until next time...
Much Love from Country Bumpkinland, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
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Wow. Your garden is beautiful. That is a good medicine for your soul. Greetings from Venezuela.
Thank you so much!!! It is a lovely garden, though it is still far from where I want it to be... but then again, that is one of the most valuable lessons that a garden can teach you... patience :) Thanks for stopping by and for the lovely compliment! Have a wonderful Thursday!
I think you live in a beautiful environment. I ever see your nice pics. Don't stop posting. Greetings.