10 Life Lessons I’ve Learned In The Garden
Photo by Ozan Çulha from Pexels
I never envisioned myself becoming a gardener. When I was little, I would flee anytime I heard my parents utter the words “yard work.” My husband and I recently purchased a house where the previous homeowner had planted plenty of flowers, including rose bushes, hydrangeas, tiger lilies, and irises.
Little did I know the joy I would receive from taking care of our flowers and (gasp), shall I say, even picking weeds! As I’ve learned more and more about caring for flowers, I’ve learned a few life lessons I’m able to use in my everyday life.
01 | Consistency is key.
One of the plants I’m most proud of is my peach-colored rose bush. I bought it while it was nothing but a thorny shrub and honestly doubted that I’d be able to bring its beauty to life. Weeks went by, and with a little tender loving care (and lots of water), to my surprise one day, a few buds popped up.
The joy these flowers bring me is a result of being consistent each day. Sometimes in life, we feel like we’re going through the motions and often overlook the beauty in it. Daily mundane tasks may not seem like much, but they bring order and beauty to our lives. May this be a reminder that discipline and consistency lead to beautiful outcomes, even when you don’t see the results immediately. It takes time for flowers to bloom, and so do you.
02 | Watch out for clinging vines.
While I love to watch clinging vines climb up our fence, I feel suffocated the second I see a vine wrap itself around one of my lily stems. Sometimes we let ourselves get wrapped up with clinging vines; these vines can look like negative relationships or bad habits that end up suffocating us and our families.
While it’s easy for me to cut a clinging vine and throw it in the dirt, it can be harder to take a good look at ourselves and see what’s wrapping itself around us. If something is weighing you down and not enabling you to live without consuming you, it may be time to get the shears out (metaphorically speaking).
03 | Do your research.
You know the cards they put in the plant containers that tell you how often to water it and if it needs direct sunlight or shade? Those cards aren’t just for decoration! They’re there to help guide you in caring for your plant.
When I first started planting, I bought snapdragon flowers and planted them in an area that had mostly shade. Over time, the flowers started to droop and wilt even though I was watering them daily. I found the card and it advised they be given direct sunlight.
Sometimes we jump into action before thinking, praying, or researching. It’s understandable to jump to a decision if it’s easy, convenient, or caters to our desires. But before making your next decision, ask the Lord for his guidance and pray it will bloom with the proper action.
04 | Call your mom.
The first place I was eager to plant my own flowers was in my window boxes located in the front of our house — I knew I wanted red flowers. And I found beautiful red hollyhocks at our farmer’s market, but once again, I didn’t read the card.
I called my mom and told her how excited I was that I’d planted hollyhocks in my flower boxes. To my dismay, she told me they’d grow from 4-6 feet fall. Obviously, this wouldn’t work in a window box. This life lesson is short and sweet: when in doubt, call your mom.
05 | Drink a glass of water & sit in the sunshine.
This one is pretty obvious when it comes to caring for plants, but it’s also important to observe this practice in our own lives as well. It amazes me how one second, my impatiens are wilting, and with a sip of water, they spring back to life!
When you feel stressed at work or from taking care of the kids, take a moment to drink a glass of water. You’ll be surprised how much clarity you’ll have from cooling off with just a sip. Even better, take a break from the computer and take a walk outside in the sunshine. If it can sustain a flower, it can help sustain you.
06 | Change your environment.
Earlier this spring, I bought a strawberry plant and placed it in a pot I was using for my herbs. While my herbs were thriving in these pots, the strawberry plant remained stagnant. My husband suggested a change of scenery.
If you’ve been feeling stagnant in a job, a relationship, or in your walk with the Lord, it may be time to change your environment and start spreading your roots. It doesn’t have to be a huge change — sometimes, little changes or developing small habits can bring new life.
Last year, I realized I wasn’t as active with my prayer life because I was trying to incorporate it before I went to bed. It simply wasn’t working, so I started praying on my commute to work, and it changed my entire day. I started my day by talking to God before I spoke to my coworkers or customers.
Thanking the Lord for all of my blessings at the start of the day made me more grateful throughout the day. If you’re not spreading your roots or producing fruit, it may be time for a change, even if it’s a small one.
07 | Picking weeds is necessary.
Even if you don’t have flowers or a garden, you know picking weeds is a chore. It’s not glamorous, and you don’t even get a beautiful flower out of the work; but you’re taking care of your plants by making sure their nutrition isn’t going to the weed instead of the plant.
My mom told me life isn’t always fun, and picking weeds sure isn’t fun. But sometimes, you must do the hard work to see the results. There may be areas in your life where you need to remove the “weeds” to allow for growth.
08 | Pruning is a part of life.
Part of taking care of plants is pruning back the dead blooms so new blooms can come to the surface — I practice this daily with my petunias. I like to think of this as restructuring your priorities. There are times when we have priorities in our lives that are flourishing and growing, but then life happens, causing us to reprioritize.
Important priorities that one flourish as beautiful flowers may have to wilt for a period of time so other priorities can flourish. I have to remind myself that life has different seasons, and it’s okay to focus on what the Lord has blessed you with during the present.
Life is full of taking care of new blooms and pruning back previous priorities. The old flowers will fade and new flowers will bloom. Enjoy the beauty the Lord has given you in your current season.
09 | Good soil will change you.
Plants need good soil and nutrients to grow. This applies to us in body and mind, too. Filling up our bodies with healthy, good foods gives us the energy to live out God’s calling for our lives. We also need to fill our minds with His word and talk to him daily.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
May we fill our bodies and minds with things from above, so we may thrive in the life the Lord has given us.
10 | Say something positive.
I talk to my plants while I water them, especially my sunflowers. You’ll hear me say things like, “Oh, you look so pretty today! Drink up so you’ll grow big and strong!” Call me crazy, but I really think this has an impact on my flowers!
Positive words have an impact when we say them to ourselves and others, too. Our world needs to hear kind words now more than ever. You could bring sunshine to someone’s day and not even know it. Be the reason someone cheers up just from a few kind words you share.
In short…
I’ve come a long way in my first season of gardening. When I first began, I could barely tell the difference between a flower and a weed. I know one day this season of taking care of my plants will come to an end as winter draws near. It’s okay, though. This will give me time to focus on other priorities the Lord gives me in the next season.
Until then, I’ll consistently show up to water my flowers, prune back the wilted blooms, and pick out the weeds. I pray these few lessons will help you in your daily walk, and that the Gardener will help you grow where you’ve been planted.
