👀 Unearthing Beauty: Creating Green Spaces for Growth, Connection, and Renewal
I’ve returned to my home in DC, surrounded by mountains of boxes, scattered children's books, and piles of dirty laundry. Finding my place and prioritizing tasks from an overwhelming list has been... challenging.
And yet, when I glance out the window and observe the gentle dance of the wind-swept banana leaves and the remaining fruits on the peach tree, I find myself drawn outside. An hour or two go by quickly as I linger in the garden, seeking solace from the chaos indoors.
My family and I moved into this 1920s house just weeks before the pandemic hit. The garden was initially an overgrown patch of weeds, holes, and rooted trees, with a single concrete path running through it. My friend Torie (of Terratorie’s fame), who used to live next door, would often describe the garden as a green oasis in the neighborhood. Although it didn't quite live up to that description when we first arrived, I was determined to transform it into a place of harmony and peace.
The vast, 90-foot space held so much potential. I remember staring at the window with all these ideas of what to do with so much space.
One day, I stumbled upon a trove of bricks being removed from a house just a few blocks away. I had them delivered to my place, and over the course of a hot summer, I paved the entire patio with those bricks. Retention walls and benches emerged from carefully placed blocks, and soon, I was planting tomatillos, sunflowers, okras, and watermelons. The next year blueberry and blackberry bushes, black-eyed susan and marigolds (for dia de muertos). I flanked the sides with lilies and hostas and many other bushes whose names I can’t remember. I became a regular on plant sales and a fervorous admirer of Monty Don.
Settling back into life in DC hasn’t been easy, but I'm grateful for the solace and inspiration the garden has provided. The plants within it serve as a gentle reminder that each passing season brings new growth and transformation. The beauty that emerges from nurturing life in this little patch of land has given me strength and hope amidst the chaos.
