“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.” – Elizabeth Murray
(Note 223) I’ve been a Master Gardener for about two years now. As both a devoted gardener and a therapist, I wholeheartedly believe in gardening as a powerful wellness tool—not just for the body, but for the mind and spirit.
Gardening, to me, is like putting my hands into the soil and shaking hands with my oldest, most loyal friend. The earth greets me without judgment, and in return, I give it my attention and care. I once heard someone say that when her fingers touch the dirt, they feel like roots reaching down, joining the network of life below. I know exactly what she means.
The garden is my sanctuary. It’s the place I go to escape the noise of the world, to trade in my worries for the quiet hum of bees and the rustle of leaves. Out here, I can transcend the day’s troubles and step into another version of myself—one that is calmer, more patient, and more alive.
Some days, gardening feels like landing on Mars. Each morning holds a new surprise: the first sprout poking through the soil, the sudden unfurling of a blossom, the unexpected visit of a butterfly. From seed to harvest, transformation is always in motion. Life is happening everywhere you look—if you slow down long enough to see it.
Gardening is my form of yoga. There’s kneeling, bending, pulling, twisting—every muscle engaged in a moving meditation. It’s exercise disguised as devotion, stretching my body as my spirit stretches toward the sun.
The garden is also my teacher. It reminds me daily about maintenance—the commitment, discipline, and boundaries we need in life. Plants won’t thrive without consistent care, and neither will we. The weeds don’t take days off, and neither can we when it comes to tending what matters.
Mother Nature is my full-time partner in this work. She is generous but demanding, forgiving yet firm. You cannot be a selfish gardener with her. She will teach you humility with a sudden frost, test your patience during a drought, and then reward you with a harvest so abundant it makes you forget the hardships.
Gardening is also like caring for a beloved pet or child. It requires love, vigilance, and a willingness to be tested. Sometimes it will break your heart; other times it will fill it to overflowing.
And perhaps best of all, gardening connects you to others who share this quiet, noble passion. When gardeners gather, there’s an unspoken bond—a shared badge of humanity that says: We are caretakers, co-creators with the earth.
In the end, gardening is never just about plants. It’s about nurturing life—inside and outside of ourselves.
EXERCISE
Maybe start thinking about planting that garden, especially if you want to GROW YOUSELF
Remember, don’t act your age!