Restoring garden and spirit

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~May Sarton

I’ve spent the past week restoring the Japanese garden that’s tucked away in a corner of our backyard. My small garden oasis was inspired by the much larger Japanese garden I’ve admired for years at Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills. I even wrote a story about it, which was published in Victoria.

Given their simple, restrained aesthetic, Japanese “Zen gardens” require regular pruning, weeding, and trimming. Over-planting — which adds cottage charm to other garden styles — doesn’t work. Neglect takes its toll. So I’ve had some extra work to do this year. Thankfully, Doug helped me plant some new shrubs and transplant a hosta that was struggling behind an overgrown clump of day lilies.

After a few hours of gardening, my back always reminds me that I need to pace myself. But when I take a step back to admire my work in progress, I feel a sense of deep satisfaction and peace that I rarely find in any other work I do. As May Sarton wrote, “Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~CL

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