A Garden is an Investment: My Story
To create a beautiful space you’re proud of, love being in, that adds value to your home can be a very real commitment. It can be a sacrifice.
Please know that fact is not lost on me.
Can I be real with you for a minute?
Although there is an actual cost associated with a garden installation, I’d argue the benefits of a garden are priceless.
I’ve been gardening for most of my adult life. The garden has been my refuge during times of deep grief, life changes, and hardships. It’s also been the place where some of my most beautiful memories were made with my children.
During times in my life when everything felt like it was out of control and spinning? Placing my hands in the soil grounded me.
Watching the natural life cycle of plants – the beauty of spring and the magic of a seed sprouting - the death a hard freeze can bring - taught my soul the richest lessons. I guess I needed to be reminded over and over and over: life is never stagnant. It refuses to stay the same. Every season of life is beautiful and fleeting. Each season is meant to be savored.
When life feels like too much, I’ve learned if I step outside and spend a few hours in the sunlight with my hands in the soil, suddenly the noise of almost any situation disappears, and I come back inside the house a lot more clear-headed, calm, and ready to approach life with confidence, kindness, and grace.
The garden has held my children as they grew from the tiniest toddlers barely coordinated enough to help me plant seeds into college students successfully gardening on their own at their college home.
The garden is where I’d find my children first thing in the morning in their pajamas – their sweet faces beaming with excitement when a new plant sprung up or they spotted the first cherry tomato of the season. These are the memories I will carry with me forever – my children trapped in time – standing in my garden early in the morning with sleepy eyes, bed head, and bare feet.
The garden gently taught my kids food is safe – there is nothing scary about it. Somehow when a child plants a vegetable seed, cares for it, and watches it grow – they are not only not terrified to try it – they are eager to taste their hard work. Gardens invite children to learn about food in the most magical, gentle environment. How can a tomato be bad or scary when it came from their favorite place on earth? I truly believe the relationship my kids have with food today is a direct gift from the garden. How do you place a price on that?
The memories I have of releasing lady bugs and earth worms into the garden every year with my children are locked away in my heart forever. Their precious faces. Tiny hands. The wonder they felt and pure joy they expressed at the million surprises a garden gives still brings me happiness 15 years later.
Yes, a garden is an investment. I know, friend.
The garden is also one of the greatest gifts.
I started my first garden because I was a bored stay-at-home-mom who wanted to try and figure out how to feed my family healthier food. Healthier food. I really thought that’s all the garden could offer!
Never have I underestimated something so much.
What the garden has given me is priceless.
Whether our team installs your garden or not, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your first steps towards something more special than you may realize right now. My hope is you’ll give gardening a try and let the garden surprise and delight you and yours for years to come.
— Heather
HELPFUL LINKS
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