07/21/2026
It’s that time of year when everyone asks how the garden is doing. In an effort to avoid that question, I present to you… THIS! A surprisingly accurate representation of the current state of both my vegetable and flower gardens.
I’ve always said every year is a good year to garden. Some years I have the time to carefully tend every plant and pull every w**d. Other years it’s more of an experiment in survival of the fittest. Because surprisingly, as long as you plant the seeds, something always does survive - growth doesn’t only happen in perfect conditions. Plus, gardening is about so much more than the harvest.
Some years the energy that usually goes into the soil is needed elsewhere. Thankfully, gardens are wonderfully forgiving. Every season offers another chance to sow seeds. Childhood isn’t nearly so patient. Their days won’t come back around with the daffodils. So I guess you could say I am gardening souls. And while I may not see this harvest for many years, I suspect it will be far more fruitful than anything I could have grown in the soil. After all, the most meaningful gardens are not usually the ones that look perfectly curated. The gardens that leave room for diversity, surprise, and a little wildness are often the ones that nurture the most life.
