The cooler temperatures, slower growth and brilliant colors of the autumn garden gives the gardener ample time to pause and reflect on the season. We may sit out and oversee our gardens with a cup of tea or wine…and review the season of trial and error, triumphs and failures. as well as bounty of the harvest. It is the experience of “digging in the dirt” throughout that season that gives rise to the satisfaction of work, new ideas, and anticipation for the coming season of growth.
During this time we may assess the plant life and consider what needs adjusting to achieve the desired balance in the garden palette. Perhaps there are those too aggressive and loud/need to be tamed a bit; those too far in the back border to appreciate; those whose properties need different conditions to perform or those gracefully flourishing where they are planted. We may also evaluate how we tended to our garden this season. Did we feed and water too much; neglect to prune and shape? As we complete this autumn time of reflection in our gardens, consider the same as we near the end of another year in our own life cycle.
Throughout the history of the written word, gardens have been used metaphorically in the reflection of the life cycle. This past month has brought much reflection to my garden life, as I welcomed with great joy a new member and said goodbye to one known all my life. These events in the cycle of life gave pause for reflection of a different kind this autumn. I welcomed the new growth, relationships and emotions that the new garden member brings to our landscape, and grieved over the loss of one whom I have shared many seasons, emotions, and close life changing relationships. But with that loss we also gain hope for the new season of life left as it’s legacy. The roots and seeds remain firmly planted. “Digging in the dirt” of our newly patterned garden gives rise to new found energy and appreciation of life’s resiliency.
It is that “digging in the dirt” experience in life that gives us the tools to remain on a steady path or change our life “use and care” practices for better balance, much like the outdoor gardens we tend.
As you sit back and reflect upon your garden this past spring and summer, raise your cup of tea or glass of wine to garden life in all it’s cycles!
