There’s so much about the end of the year that dovetails nicely with being a gardener, isn’t there? As it is for many, for gardeners too this is a time for reflection upon the year that was, of growing and growth — what worked well and what didn’t, whether we had the courage to try new things and how it went; do we need to switch things up for the year to come and perhaps make changes; is the soil we’ve grown in sufficiently nourishing…and so on. It occurs to us that perhaps all of this garden reflection can turned toward ourselves, and how we might evaluate our own year of living and being — and hopefully growing in one way or another.
It’s also, of course, a season of giving. As gardeners, we’re so very conscious of the gifts of nature, our responsibility to give back to the earth, and to live consciously, with awareness of what plants and gardening give to us. This time of year also becomes an opportunity to consider what we can give back to the natural world. Can we live more sustainably? Is there more we can do to give back to nature? To our community? Perhaps that means in the year to come that we’ll plant more native plants to help pollinators flourish. We might help a neighbour start their first vegetable patch. Or, it could be that we’ll cultivate a windowsill garden throughout the winter months to have fresh, homegrown produce — a fresh-from-the-plant tomato in February? Delightful!
As a last thought for this seasonal reflection — isn’t it marvelous, too, how nature gives us so much in the holiday season — from poinsettias to Christmas trees, festive arrangements and dried flower wreaths, all the way to the ginger that enlivens the season’s classic cookie. At every turn, we can celebrate nature’s gifts, if we choose (and we should!).
All the best of the season to all of our fellow gardeners and nature-lovers. Happy New Year, and here’s to 2022!
