Yesterday’s quote by Margaret Atwood perfectly captures my latest Sunday in the garden:

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
~ Margaret Atwood ~

As I prepare for a day of gardening, I start the day looking pretty normal with my hair pulled back, sunscreen on, dressed in black shorts and top (for obvious reasons) and standing in my gardening shoes. I grab lots of liquid to keep hydrated and bring out all of my tools, buckets and wheelbarrow.

With all of the preparation done, I spend the day playing in the dirt. I start in my cutting garden and learn how each individual seed should be planted. Some are sown directly on the soil, which requires my hands lightly packing them into the ground. Others need to be planted ¼” or deeper with my Korean hoe. Once all fifteen varieties have been planted in rows and my bamboo trellises are erected, I gather and arrange all of my new perennials that I purchased earlier that morning from the Mettowee Mill Nursery. With the help of my husband and the wonderful shovel he gave me at Christmas, we fill my garden off the patio with perennials in areas where last year’s had not returned.

By days end my cutting garden, though nothing but dirt, seeds and bamboo trellises, is pristine and ready for action, and my perennial garden with all the fabulous new varieties looks beautiful. But I, on the other hand, look far from presentable. My hair that was nicely tied up is now loosely hanging from its clip. I have dirt all over my legs, my arms, my back, in my hair and smudges all over my face. And yet as messy as I look, I just don’t think my day would feel as wonderful and successful if I came in from all of my planting without being covered from head to toe and smelling like dirt.

For all that dirt reaps, and how it puts up with me constantly digging it up, moving it around, stomping on it to arrange my gardens, I realize that I have a deep sense of gratitude for dirt. How different this earth and I would be without it…

Please share with me if you like to play in the dirt, too.

Featured flower: Peruvian Daffodil grown in my Cutting Garden

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