The Whimsical Insight of the Winter Garden
The garden appears dormant. It seems as if even the fairies have joined the seeds in their seasonal hibernation. If we go beyond what our eyes can see we will realize that the garden is teeming with activity right now. It is prepping for the big show, which is springtime. Right now the songs are being chosen, the sets prepped and the dances choreographed.
Once in a while, a gusty wind may blow and we catch a glimpse of a wing. Perhaps we may even hear a giggle. On frosty mornings we wonder if the patterns we observe are tiny footprints across the windows. And on the most magical of nights, when the moon is full, in all of the stillness and beauty of a newly fallen snow, we may witness crystals glistening across the landscape. If we look just the right way, a minuscule creature, a snow fairy, can be seen dancing across the snow. Or is it a stray snowflake finding its place among the other sparkling bits?
The offerings of winter
The winter garden is unlike the other gardens. Each season welcomes something unique to the garden, whether it’s the sprouting of a new plant, a flower blooming for the first time, a harvest, and even the appreciation of fallen leaves. During winter, enlightenment is offered in a different way. The message is to look inward, to hibernate, and to secure our roots within the soil. Patience and perseverance are echoed in the branches of the trees that seem bare and inert. Within this, the deeper message here is that to truly understand, we must see with our hearts and not our minds. The trees are resting, but they are far from lifeless. They are simply waiting and regenerating. Anticipating their grand entrance in the spring.
A time to set intentions
The cold and dormant months are a time of planning. A desirable time to plan which seeds we will sow in our gardens- the physical and spiritual gardens. This is a perfect time to start that journal to manifest your dreams and express your feelings. It’s an opportunity to find that planner that is collecting dust and organize your thoughts and actions. This wisdom that calls upon us also asks us to release what no longer serves us and to unclutter our lives. Like the tiny little seed that is nestled in the comfort of the seed pod, we are also relishing the comfort and stillness that the winter months bring.
We are provided with a canvas and the medium is our choice. This is where we visualize and create within the process of looking inward. It is a time to reprioritize but more importantly, it’s a time to restore. A time to recharge, rest, and reaccess. This is what the garden is experiencing now, in a metamorphic way the seeds and roots are resting and regenerating in what appears to most as bleak and quiet.
During this time we may order seeds and begin planning the garden for the coming spring. Perhaps it is even time to start seedlings indoors. We have a short growing season up here on the mountain, so I often start plants indoors. Starting seeds in late winter offer the plants a headstart. Additionally, it ensures the plants won’t succumb to a sudden late frost. A more established plant also gives it a chance to withstand the potential onslaught of the garden critters.
Have you started any indoor seedlings? Leave me a comment, I would love to read about it.
May the whimsical magic of the season bestow you with insight and renewal.
Daughter of the Earth, Mother of her creations. Ivanna (Evie) doesn’t care for titles, but the ones that fit best are homeschool mom, herbalist, and blogger. Her greatest joy is guiding others to find true wellness within themselves and Mother Earth. When not spending time with her beloved family, she can be found researching everything related to holistic wellness, crafting herbal remedies, or visiting with the plants in the Magical Garden.
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Response to "The Whimsical Insight of the Winter Garden"
Your garden in winter is so much prettier than mine! I think all that is left is one sad sunflower.
Thank you, Emily. Sunflowers make nice treats for birds. Last year my sunflowers didn’t do too well. In the past, we cut off the flower head after it goes to see and allow it to dry. Then in winter, we set it outside for the birds to find.
These are stunning shots! Your words make me want to be outside more 🙂
Thank you, Shelby! I am so happy to hear that! I love hearing that people feel inspired to be outside and connect with nature.
There’s a kind of silence that is deafening. When the forest trail my trusty companion and I strolled each day to the happy vibrational sounds of nature had become completely devoid of life. Burned to golden yellow’s, browns and black. Smoking… silent. All the trees and flowers and grasses are gone. All the birds and their nests and the rabbit patches are gone. All the lizards and squirrels are silent. There is nothing. No butterflies, no breeze. The stillness and silence of death. Not even the buzzing of a fly. Just stillness . There is a kind of silence with eyes wide open as my mind disconnects from my body. Trying to figure out how to re-weave this tapestry of everyday. A silence surrounds me like a protective bubble as I watch workers mouths moving and people pointing and gesturing all around me like a silent movie. My mind lightyears beyond the sound of their voices. There is a kind of silence that represents the end of all that was ..and in that same silent moment I can hear the faintest sound of a whole new beginning.
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this here, Ingrid.