Lessons from the garden

 I’m not the world’s greatest gardener but you would never know that from my photos. I tend to zoom in on the good bits, the pretty flowers, or a bowl of ripe home-grown strawberries.

There’s seems to be a lack of bright colours at the moment, just shades of green. Something has eaten the flowers I planted the other week.

But I did take a few photos yesterday and created a collage to share on Facebook.

My dwarf beans were beginning to flower – young plants full of potential.

Alas when I looked today, they are mostly covered in slug slime – not sure I’ll even have enough for one meal when they are ready to harvest.

Then there is my climbing rose by the back door. Perhaps it is past its best for this summer, strewn petals have littered the ground, dead heads have been plucked and binned. The solitary rose that is left looks magnificent and so is the delicate fragrance.

Sadly today it looks more forlorn and crispy round the edges. I’m glad I took a photo yesterday.

One thing is the same today as yesterday, not ravaged by heat or rain. The allium seed head is quite magnificent. It was even more spectacular covered in multitudes of deep purple flowers a month ago. Particularly when sprinkled with sparkling rain drops. However, it remains elegant in this final season. Worthy of being photographed.

 As I ponder the plants in my garden and the stages they are at, I compare them to my own life.

I am hardly a young bean anymore – a has-bean maybe?

I don’t think I’ve quite reached the seed head stage.

Perhaps I am most like the rose bush, still blooming, pushing out a burst of colour every now and then.

 

Then I remember the passage from Ecclesiastes chapter 3

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 … and I remember that Jesus told stories about seeds and plants and growing things.

As ever there is much to ponder in the garden, and maybe a few too many weeds to pull up. I grab a handful, throw them in the bin and come inside to write this, considering my words to be like rose petals, beautifully layered causing you to stop and wonder.