Garden Gifts are Blessings

 Blessing #2 - Giving

Giving someone the space to garden is a great gift.  Many of us do not have yards, or sunny locations in which to garden.




I found some of the most valued memories of working at the local garden center, was teaching someone the methods to have a successful garden. The old adage of ‘teaching a man to fish’ comes to mind. Explaining the needs of a particular plant was my goal to help this gardener be successful.  Truly a blessing to me when that person sought me out on their next visit to get ‘more’ of the very contagious bug of ‘Gardening.’ Ever seeking knowledge and soaking up any morsel I could throw their way, -  these gardeners were a blessing to me.

Another gift of gardening is the practice of giving plants from my garden to someone else.  I try to have a few pots ready when a visitor comes.  Giving plants is a promise of good luck to both gardeners.  A blessing, indeed.


Giving plants in an organized ‘plant share event’ is very rewarding.  Receiving plants you do not have in your garden – while watching someone  who is delighted to receive the plant you offered.  The Blessing of Community (read more here) is extended as well.

Another gift of gardening is giving of your time to help another gardener.  Weeding for an elderly neighbor is very rewarding. I’ve had a great sense of accomplishment when I’ve helped a fellow gardener tidy up her yard the afternoon she was to host a meeting.  Another giving opportunity I had was upon the death of a family member of a sister-garden clubber.  She was to have tons of visitors arriving, and needless to say, had no time to spruce up the front yard. No one knew what had happened ,(except me and another garden club member), and that made my blessing more precious.

Giving to a group that has physical limitations is quite rewarding.  Many hospitals, and nursing facilities are recognizing the benefits of ‘Horticulture Therapy’.  Folks respond to the sights, smells, and nurturing gardening brings. Raised beds and platform gardens are ideal for folks to engage in gardening without the stress of limited access to the garden. Adding to a school nature program is yet another avenue for giving.  Garden clubs and plant societies, and individuals can purchase one of these planters and the gift will come back to be a blessing for the giver, as well as the recipient.

I have discovered that giving a gift is like throwing ashes into the wind – some of the ashes will come back onto us – truly a Blessing.