‘… to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted.’
Who could forget that classic Byrds’ song, its lyrics inspired by The Book of Ecclesiastes?
How I love the turning of the seasons, never more evident than in a garden.
Today is the last day of Winter in the Southern Hemisphere. With Spring already heralded by the appearance of abundant buds, baby birds, and an influx of insects, both helpful and pestilent, I look forward to the changes being wrought. However, I’m not too fond of the summer humidity we must endure before the season turns again into my favourite season of all – Autumn. But I digress …
While I pondered the change of season, I was reminded of the cyclical nature of life, its time-old reassuring, repeated rhythms. The death and decay of the old orders are replaced and renewed by successive generations. In fact, the cycle of life depends upon it. We all, without exception, must return to the dust from which we come. I kind of like the idea of breathing the dust of my ancestors, of becoming stardust myself one day – but not too soon!
The next generation of gardeners in my family is already building on the knowledge of their forebears (my grand-children call them ‘grancestors’) just as I did from mine. My mother was an avid and creative gardener, so too her mother and grandmother.
Now I have the joy of sharing my wonder in nature with my own children and grandchildren. I have the pleasure of their ‘clear-eyed vision and true instinct for what is beautiful’, revitalising my own dimmed and sometimes wearied view of the world. We learn from each other in the true cyclical sense; a passing back and forth of appreciation, connectedness and knowledge.
“If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”
Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring
And thus do we reap what we sow.
Winter 2015 – The budding gardener
Buds of the soft cane dendrobium
Buds on the Hippeastrum papilio
Big Dreams for a Tiny Garden 
These are beautiful reflections on the rhythm of the seasons and their place in our lives. Your garden is a great source of connection and inspiration – loved and shared. Thanks!
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Thanks for the appreciation Gail!
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“Grancestors” is a classic! Can’t you submit it to a dictionary or something so that it is not lost to humanity?
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Hah ha! It is isn’t it – laughed all the way home from the grave yard! Yeah, we hang out with the grancestors there. We found their graves when my grandie was 5 years old. Pioneers in the area apparently. He is fascinated with the whole death and dying thing. Wanted to know were his grancestors coming back as zombies. I told him they don’t need to – he has me!
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Kids can be so funny when they’re small. Their questions are so touchingly naive.
Changes a bit when they become teenagers, though. They just think they’re so funny. They’re still naive, though, so that bit’s the same.
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I love the insight that little kids have. When and why do we lose that wonderful naivety? I guess the world wearies us and has its dastardly way. Even more reason to see through little children’s eyes.
I sympathise with you having teenagers. If you survive those years there are better things to come. My girls, now middle-aged, are my best friends.
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Funnily enough someone else said some thing similar to me recently. 🙂 Having teenagers is interesting, but I’m looking forward to getting driven everywhere in somebody else’s car.
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Haha! Never happened for me. Maybe when I’m old? Ahh … older?
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Dear Robyn, Thankyou for your recent blog. I love the verses from Ecclesiastes. Over the years, when times have been difficult,I have used those words for hope and reassurance. Another biblical passage that I really love, and find quite uplifting, is verse 1 and 2 of Psalm 121. I will lift up my eyes to the hills From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord/ Universal Spirit Who made heaven and earth. ( and gardens! ) Did you see the movie “Gardening with soul” when it was in selected cinemas last year? It took us through the seasons with a wonderful 90 year old nun who was in charge of the garden at her convent in Wellington, New Zealand. She was a wonderful woman who had very simple personal beliefs and values. And amazing energy. Her own spirituality was strongly linked to, and influenced by, her garden. I have the DVD and if you haven’t seen it I will bring I up with me you for you to look at. We have just experienced two delightful spring days. It has been such a cold winter.
Looking forward to your next blog. Love, Ann
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Thank you Ann!
I love the psalm you sent – an old favourite of mine. We need to have a more in-depth conversation than possible here. I would love to borrow the DVD. I didn’t see that movie advertised at all.
So looking forward to your visit. Weather here is getting warm too. Thank you for reading and responding to my blog. I post once a week.
Love Robyn
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Interesting read. Also reminded me of the song.
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Thank you.
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