Events are being canceled, schools are closing, and many are being encouraged to work from home. For a few days or weeks people are finding themselves with blocks of time that they’d planned to use to be at meetings, go to concerts, or attend other presentations. Many have had to change plans and cancel reservations. Being a plant geek, it’s no surprise that this reminds me of the garden.

We’re often faced with the unexpected outdoors; a plant dies, an area has to be dug up to replace a septic system, or an addition to the house necessitates landscape renewal. In these cases and others, we’re suddenly faced with new planting opportunities whether we wanted them or not.

If we do nothing with open spaces, nature will plant something…it seems that Gaia dislikes the look of bare soil. Such a waste of good dirt! Usually, nature put plants in those exposed areas that we’re not so fond of, so it behooves us to make a plan for those places before the weeds move in.

Many of us currently have unexpected stretches of time and are being encouraged to stay home. We’ve been given new planting opportunities, whether we like it or not. Sure, we could spend this found time binge watching old television, streaming movies, or compulsively checking the news about the progression of COVID-19. But in many ways, that’s just letting the weeds move in.

Which leads to the question, what do you want to grow? Have you always said you wanted more time to write, paint or read? You’ve got it. Or perhaps you’ve wished for the time to clear out cluttered rooms or sort through clothes that you no longer wear. The time is now.

Being “The Garden Lady,” I will naturally encourage all who’ve said that they’d love a few extra hours for planting or making changes in the landscape to go for it. Plan that raised bed vegetable garden, get out those dusty flower boxes, or repot the houseplants. Start some seeds, bring home a few pots of herbs, or dig out that shrub that’s been hideously ugly for years.

Plan to create something life-affirming…you’ve got the time.

Time For Wise Planting…