i’ve had gardens in years past…gardens that produced greens and squashes and peppers and such. it was pretty great to gather and then enjoy the harvest. but the past few seasons have left me feeling depleted, deflated, defeated. the deer and stink bugs eating what they shouldn’t, my kids not eating what they should. this year i knew i wanted the garden to be different.
and so…
there are two tomato plants, one pepper plant, a sprinkling of onions, a few herbs, and…flowers. lots of flowers. without planning or plotting, the kids and i went to the nearby garden store weeks ago and bought packets of seeds of all things pretty…cosmos, zinnia, sunflower, lupine, columbine, poppies, larkspur, sweet pea. i let the kids plant what they wanted in their plots and i took the remaining seeds and scattered…liberally, freely, happily.
my wish this summer was to grow beautiful flowers to enjoy outside as well as inside. i didn’t want to worry about vegetables growing or not growing, or growing but not getting eaten {or getting eaten by furry beings}. i simply wanted to grow a patch of beauty.
this summer, there is beauty. stepping outside our back door, i gaze to my right and sigh a sweet sigh…every single time. right now the cosmos and zinnias are in full bloom, the four o’clocks are budding, and i can’t wait for the rest to follow. there is no stress or worry in the garden…just flowers everywhere.
and this makes me very, very happy.
sending a little love your way, m
p.s. playing along and weaving words with july prompt-a-day.
Michelle GD 
And you made that whole little part of this huge world a beautiful flower garden :)))
Xxx
it’s a sweet, tiny part of this huge world :)
xo
How beautiful…I can feel your liberation and oh what pleasure flowers bring! Such wonderful words and images, this was a pure delight to read : )
it has been *completely* liberating!
and thank you for your kind words. a delight to read? that touches my heart…
You know, I might steal this idea for next year. We have a small garden and I wouldn’t mind it being smaller and smaller. My husband just planted zinnias and we are hoping for some flowers.
steal away, karen, steal away. i kid you not with the zero stress factor and the over-the-top joy factor.
zinnias are a new favorite of mine. they are hardy {i do not have a green thumb} and so cheerful.
i hope to see some pics of your zinnias once they’re up!
it definitely looks like a place i’d retreat to when i need a lift of beauty and peace!
it’s really such a treat, amanda…we’re all loving it!
Simple. Perfect. Beautiful. (PS. Love the photos!)
thank you, b. the simple is definitely working for me. xoxo
Your flowers are just so pretty and I’m glad you planted something that makes your heart happy. I have two boxes that I planted flowers in this, my first time planting flowers just to plant them.
My heart sank this morning when I went to pick kale, something had a really good dinner because yesterday the plants looks fine, today they are all holey. Sigh.
tracey, it was hard for me to let go of what i thought i “should” be planting, but i’m so happy that i’ve arrived at this place. the pretty makes me so happy.
i love that you’ve played with flower planting this summer too…flowers just for the sake of flowers are wonderful, i think!
and the sinking heart when witnessing a furry or many-legged critters’ dining efforts on your kale…ah, i know that so well. feeling for you. xo
ironically my husband is gardening almost an entire lot next to us, here in town. my vote was NO!!! emphatically!!! i have enough to do!! but, his enthusiasm is contagious and he is doing almost all of the work. (well, until processing time!!) and he did plant a TON of zinnias and sunflowers… thank goodness!!
beth, how fantastic! if there was more help/gardening interest around here, i do think i’d like working alongside someone enthusiastic. but, alas, my personal enthusiasm is not enough to carry the project solo. i hope i’ll get to see some shots of the process work when you get to that!
and the zinnias and sunflowers…such happy {and hardy…which i need} flowers…love that your husband planted tons of those. sounds like a win-win situation.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I’m smiling and sighing.
(And I’m starting to wonder if we were twins separated at birth?!)
The garden woes. Yes, we have them here. Last year it was slugs and groundhogs. This year it’s Japanese beetles and crows. And weeds. Always weeds. Since we don’t use chemicals, it’s such a battle (one my husband has to fight).
But the flowers…they never disappoint. We did zinnias again this year and they always make me think of you.
Your photos are pure bliss, M. Such lovely captures with the sweetest glimpses of your pup and girl.
Thank you for sharing the beauty.
Xoxo
J.
twins?! i like the sounds of that ;)
it felt like a never-ending battle with the garden. and i know lots of people are able to carry on with that battle…thank you, farmers, from the bottom of my heart, and my hat’s off to everyone tending gardens in their backyards. i’m glad you have your husband working hard in your garden {hooray to no chemicals}. but it wasn’t in my heart…
the flowers are amazing, so amazing. you’re right that they never disappoint. they are magical besides being beautiful. the zinnias…well, they make me think of you too. i like that we’ve got a zinnia connection going on. thank you for being here to share in this beauty, j. i’m imagining you and yours amidst your zinnias…
oh, how i can relate to this.
this year i’m despairing over my beloved vegetable patch! of course, it’s the Right Thing to do – grow one’s own food, enjoy the bounty of a homegrown harvest – and how wonderful to wander down to the garden and pick an onion to slice or a tomato to add to a salad. BUT. the poultry is terrorizing everything and the weeds and oh. my. word. stress and aggravation! and i’m self-flagellating over my apparent failures….
but the place where i scattered flower seeds — yes! to the scattering and not-careful-placing…well, those places are giving me the most joy. wondering what’s going to come up, wondering what they are (and dashing to our flower book to find out) <– i bought mixed seeds for wildflower/hummingbird/bee gardens. oh, bliss!!
thank you for this — i'm finding a great need to be recalibrating..to be honest with myself and this has eased my burden a bit. i mean, we live smack dab in the middle of farm country, for heaven's sake…the markets are abundant and affordable…..*sigh*. a few tomatoes, some onions and peas….yes, that sounds about right.
xoxo
mel, it was *so* hard for me to let go of what i thought i *should* be growing {the Right Thing} but it has been hugely liberating! i love the idea of a bountiful garden and harvesting and being self-sufficient, but it’s truly not a reality for me in my life right now…and i was making myself unhappy trying to do what wasn’t in my heart.
the flowers bring so.much joy. here’s to shifting and recalibrating and easing our burdens {we have enough of those, don’t we?} to flowers and joy… xo