This is my first time to blog since officially closing the UpCountry.
I have chosen to share something from my garden. Gardening has been a hobby of mine for more than two decades. I got started in gardening because my mother-in-law has a beautiful garden that inspired me. Over the years, gardening has transformed from a hobby into an activity that gives me space where I can reflect.
Let me share the words from Venetia Stanley-Smith, a British gardener who lives in Kyoto, Japan, and whom I respect and admire deeply: “The simple joys that nature gives us in our gardens become our refuge from the pressures of each day. The sun in the garden warms us, the storms give us energy and the winds blow away our worries and cares, and our heart becomes still.”
Along with many other plants and vegetables, I have a collection of about 60 rosebushes. This year, all of them bloomed dramatically. They showed me hundreds of thousands of beautiful flowers throughout the spring and autumn seasons. Some of them are still blooming.
Why do I like growing roses? Although it may seem a bit strange, I think the reason I like them so much is because they are so high maintenance. I am a pretty quiet and calm individual but when the new growth and flower buds come on in spring, I become very aggressive and protective against the deer. So I guess it’s the pesky deer that keeps me motivated to grow these wonderful flowers!
