Transforming a plot of dirt into a beautiful flower garden is not an easy task. Flower gardens require diligent work and planning. Foresight, along with trial and error, is often used by the flower gardener but dirt under the fingernails is what gardening is all about! It's the countless hours spent fine-tuning that make the garden a special place.
To many of us, the flower garden is a place for escape and solitude. A place where we can withdraw and solve all the world's problems. A place where we can see our accomplishments and take pride in our toil and labor. But it can be a lot more: a flower garden can be a place of prayer and reflection. Picture this: sitting on your bench, surrounded by all the fragrance and blooming flowers, there is a cool breeze and the sun is setting with a radiant orange glow. What a perfect place to reflect and say "thank you" to God. He has given us the flowers and the ability to cultivate and grow them. Let us never be so busy that we are blind to the beauty and the fragility of our lives.
My tip: always take time to smell the roses.
Russell K. Hebert, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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