Dig
That’s 639 white Bearded Iris rhizomes so far and still counting. This is only our third year in this 46-year-old house, and those irises bloomed with gusto in early March! But when I looked across my yard in mid-April after they had finished, my former art teacher heart just craved more color. I set out to dig them up, divide them, and give a lot of them away.
At the time I didn’t know how long they’d been growing here, and I didn’t realize how many there would be to dig up. I didn’t even know much about irises yet at all, but with all the zeal of an amateur gardener, I just kept digging and counting.
Examine
After a little research, I learned these flowers have been growing on this property for at least 20 years, though I don’t know the last time they were divided. The Bearded Irises in my yard are surprisingly resilient, and I’d even say toddler-proof. When my son was not yet two-years-old he marched through the yard with a stick, decapitating stalks and blooms like he was slaying dragons, and the irises somehow faired just fine.
The soil they’re growing in doesn’t seem especially rich. It looks like a mixture of sand and clay. The oak and hickory trees nearby drop lots of leaves that have to be blown off the irises, so they are less likely to get root rot or attract borers. Still, I was really surprised to see gobs of giant earthworms, after only stomping my boot on the pointed shovel a few times.
These irises are drought-tolerant and still stand tall in the blistering middle-Georgia afternoon summer sun, while the Azaleas, Vinca, and even the SunPatiens are drooping.
Divide
Often when I think of division I think of all the social issues that are prevalent in our world today with folks being parted and labeled by color, class, gender, and so many other categories. Division in this way almost always has a negative impact on some groups while maintaining and protecting a positive outcome for others.
Thankfully division in gardening helps plants, gardens, and also gardeners all thrive! In my experience, if you divide and spread or share flowers and plants with others, none of them suffer. They ALL continue to multiply and flourish. What if sharing in this way helped everyone excel?
Give
This world would have you believe we are all playing a zero-sum game, meaning if someone wins or gets something then that must take away from others. But what if we changed that? I’ve given away every single one of those 639 iris rhizomes, and I’ve still got countless irises left untouched in addition to so many that have started to peep through the sandy earth with all their extra breathing room!
When it comes to giving, it may not be something we are financially able to do. But what if we can give time, food, flowers, or an encouraging word? The seeds we plant with those uplifting things are sure to multiply and prosper.
Restore
It feels incredibly frivolous to talk about gardening during this time in the world. Life seems very tumultuous right now with so many political, medical, racial, and financial things going on. Due to the pandemic, unemployment numbers are off the charts, some people are unable to pay rent, food pantries are stretched thin, protests abound, an incredibly important election is just days away, and so much more.
And no, I didn’t miss the irony that my yard is covered in white flowers, and I’m working diligently to add more color.
Gardening is restorative and therapeutic for me. It’s peaceful, and it helps me process some of the books I am reading, a devotion a friend told me about, and all the things going on in my mind and in the world. It’s a simple way I can get away from the time-sucking vortex of social media and do something productive and maybe even helpful with some of my time.
Decide
Do you have a little patch of earth you can work? Or know someone who has a yard that may need some help?
Maybe you’ve got a wonderful yard that’s become a bit overgrown from a few months of neglect because you’ve worked hard to focus on your family or your finances during the pandemic. Perhaps your neighbor is widowed or high risk and seldom leaves their home. Some pansies around their mailbox may be just what they need.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to dig and plant or brighten someone’s day. I purchased most of my yard tools for a fraction of the cost from a second-hand shop years ago, and they have served me well!
Whether it’s gardening or some other hobby, may you find what restores and replenishes you during this unprecedented time in our world. And when you find whatever it is, regardless of how little it may seem, may you be ready and willing to share it with others.
We could all use a little love, and in the words from Aesop’s Fable The Lion and the Mouse, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
