Author Nora Roberts once said, "In the garden is joy and beauty, work and reward."I thought about that statement this past weekend as I waged war on the weeds who dared to squat on the flowerbeds reserved entirely for my perennials (and annuals yet to be purchased) and reacquainted myself with muscles who had blissfully slept all winter long.
As I slogged away, I had to be careful, take my time, and exercise patience because those nasty rascals popped up right alongside my flowers. Sometimes they were so close, pulling out the weeds wasn't an option for I would have plucked out the newly-born flowers, also. So, kneeling down and with a knife, I painstakingly dug the weeds out, one by one, hopefully removing all the root system, and without jarring the new little plants who have popped their brave heads out of the ground.
My back, needless to say, was not a happy camper but at the end of the day, when I sat on my deck, resting with a cool drink in hand, and surveyed my kingdom, I was well pleased. It had been hard work, exhausting work, but a joyful work. In my minds eye, I saw my reward: I could picture the beauty of the flowerbeds in full color that would begin in the next week or so and continue to bloom throughout the hazy days of summer and into the first frost of autumn.
The kingdom I labored to build in my backyard--by digging out flowerbeds, yanking out weeds, planting flowers and shrubs and trees, creating a border for the gardens with rocks brought home from our trips up North, and putting the finishing touch of decorating the beds with ornaments I scoured for in the local garden centers--is just a small taste of the beauty of heaven. An imperfect reflection of dazzling color and unlimited potential. And yet, still, so beautiful!
Yes, the garden is joy and beauty, work and reward, but oh, so much to enjoy. Even the pesky weeds. And the resident robin who squawks at me while he supervises my gardening.
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