The 5 Laws Taken From A Garden

Scotland was the first country I chose to study historic gardens.  At the time, late 80's, Scotland was home to most of the major head-gardeners across Europe.  Gleaned this fact from a PBS garden show from that era.
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A small aside during that PBS show, it pulled my trigger.  Of I went, decades across Europe studying historic gardens.
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Earlier this week, a new pic, below, from Scotland.  Better it's a cemetery, with winter blooming bulbs.  Have never been to Scotland during winter.
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Aside from being able to walk in many old cemeteries across Europe, it was more melancholy, driving past them, at a distance, on our touring coach.  I wanted to be in them all not merely driving past.  Time to know what the cemetery garden says, how it feels, where its going, understanding all the others who have been there, without leaving a mark, as I wish to leave no mark.  Instead, wanting those cemeteries to leave a mark on me, to take across my remaining days.   
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Pic, above, here.
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Bulbs & Trees are incredibly sacred to the unborn, and dead.
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Before us, our ancestors planted bulbs & trees we enjoy.  Before we go to the-great-beyond, as Leonard Cohen sings, our privilege, one of many we're gifted, to be ancestors, is planting bulbs & trees.
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We are descendant & ancestor to the Garden.
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Pic, above, here.
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We come to the Garden, in control.  If we've payed attention we learn the garden is in control.
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"Paying attention to the details of life is part of a spiritual life."  Rabbi Sandy Sasso.
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The garden takes our heart & mind.  We go into it thinking.  Minds thinking, bodies doing, the garden not telling us what to think; letting us think, encouraging us to think.  Thoughts being worked on by living organisms, from the dawn of time, wisdom, coming at our thinking, in partnership.
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Ethics are in the garden.
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Pic, above, here.
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From the garden we're taught how to feed our soul.  Meadows parched, after the rains, grow, gracious & grateful.  Trees, such courage, yet joy & purpose are their life force.  Nurturing a spiritual life, Gardens, they nurture ours.
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"How do you put experiences of the sacred in your life?  What are the layers you choose to be wrapped in the sacred?"  Rabbi Sandy Sasso.
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Pic, above, here.
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Our soul hears the silence of a garden; with understanding.
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In the garden, if we're paying attention we'll realize it's 'showing us the fullness of our humanity'.
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Pic, above, here.
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What questions do you ask your garden?
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Pic, above, here.
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Potted bulbs, above/below.  No garden?  Yes, the potted garden.
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The garden answers every question.  It's when we realize the questions are more important than the answers, we're seeing.

 
Pic, above, here.
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We are precious to the garden, it was formed for pollinators.  Knowing this isn't enough.  We must learn the garden is precious to us, pollinating our spirit, germinating our soul.
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You are a pollinator, don't you know?  Gardens are global, and yours.  Nature doesn't keep tabs according to mortgage papers.  Your neighbor's trees, are working for all.
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Pic, above, here.
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Several century old pecan trees are on our property, above.  How to make those magnificent trees 2nd fiddle?  When my cats jump into them.  They never go over my upstretched arms, and let me lift them down.  Dignity intact, of course.
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Pic, above, here.
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Why does it take so long to realize what the garden is teaching us?  Why don't we see the layers of spirituality & ethics, in how a garden grows?  Why are we shocked learning we're part of that, literally?  Seriously, science is now proving trees are sentient.
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Theology and gardens are the same having ritual & ceremony; the gardener's is wildly more fun.
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When the radical grows down and the leaf grows up it's more than a seed germinating.  It's Providence & spirituality; bigger than we can conceive.  Answers are not as important as having the questions.  Beware trusting past science 'against' these words, science has caught up.

 
Pic, above, here.
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What type of person, above, are you?  One cell at a time, this tree decided to go for it.
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Garden & Be Well,   XO T
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I know, more than 5 laws to take from the garden.  Laws deepening your spirit, and improving your life.  Didn't bullet point them, don't want to limit you.  Everyone's list, from this post, will be different.  THAT'S what a garden does, even via technology & photos & mere words.