Advice for May Gardeners… and Everybody

Late spring is fabulous. It is life-giving to bring something new into your life. Garden centers are spilling over with blooms, herbs, and sweet baby willows with the tag “easy care.” Sidewalks and parks are spilling over with people. Flyers announce opportunities to rent kayaks, attend concerts, or take up quilting. So many promising choices.

It may be tempting to say yes to all the options but take care before planting everything firmly into your life. I am guilty of loading my garden cart with all the gorgeous growing things with little regard for the consequences for the fall, or next year. Add to your cart or calendar with wisdom. You never know what new love you might find this spring.

As you choose which eye-catching item to add to your home: research, experiment, and weed as you go. Taking care increases the chance that you end up with a yard, and life, that works for you in the coming seasons.

Research

Think ahead – willow trees are gorgeous and will destroy your water pipes unless you have 5 acres with a pond well away from the house. Tomatoes are easy to grow, if you water regularly. They do best with companion plants like basil, marigolds, and parsley. They are not good neighbors with potatoes. Mint is great – in small doses. In a pot you can harvest it all summer; let it get its roots into your yard, and you will have a mint farm. New friends and activities are the same – some get along better with your current people and plans. In the midst of all the lovely choices do some research so you can consider what your choice might look like in August, or next year.

Experiment

Try out new ideas before digging in too deep. Investing lower amounts of time and resources allows you to explore options. Some experiments are quick, you can brew your own mint tea in a matter of weeks. Rent a kayak before buying one. That clearance tree might do well in the corner of the yard. There are a lot of ways to explore new options. Herbs and vegetables can be grown in pots, bags, and hanging planters. New acquaintances and new hobbies or adventures often go together. By clarifying that you are checking out this new idea, you give yourself the option to walk away if it doesn’t suit you. There is the chance that the experiment leads to a commitment; a new friend or activity might blossom into an important part of your life in years to come.

Weed

Weed a little or a lot as needed. Walking away from an experiment isn’t a failure; you keep the knowledge you gained. You can cut flowers and bring them in for a vase or dig them up by the roots and toss them in a compost bin. A discount pine tree planted in the corner of the yard can be trimmed to keep it small or chopped down entirely. Some plants do better if transplanted. If you sign up for a class and realize you really don’t like it, or don’t have time, donate the supplies to someone else and quit. At times the more you know about someone, the less you get along with them; set some boundaries and move on. Being open to adjusting as you go gives you more freedom to experiment and to discover what works for you.

Enjoy spring. Visit the garden centers, say hi, and try out events to spruce up your life. Along the way, do some research about the long-term outcomes, experiment in small ways, and be willing to alter your original idea to best meet your needs. A new activity might tempt you to buy all the supplies and sign up for an in-depth class. Give it some time. A brand new friend might seem like a good fit for your inner circle. Get to know them. Give yourself the gift of new without the long-term headache of regret. I hope that you find a new love this spring that you still love as part of your long term journey.

Peace,

Laura

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Advice for May Gardeners… and Everybody

Research

Experiment

Weed

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