Each spring, hostas, daylilies, and other faithful perennials miraculously peek though the earth and whisper, “Now is the time.” It is our cue to begin the work of turning our backyard into a sanctuary that soothes our spirits and delights our senses.

Empty urns and window boxes are brought back to life with ferns, trailing ivy, and flowers. Hundreds of individual impatiens and petunias are planted, filling the brown earth with tiny dots of color that will magically multiply into happy mounds of blooms by mid-summer.

There is mulch to spread, branches to trim, and endless raking, weeding, fertilizing, and watering. The hammock returns to its shady spot. The garden hose is hung on its post after filling the fountain with sparkling, trickling music. Bird baths and feeders are prepared for spring visitors. We say hello again to outdoor furniture and decorative features by giving them a shine.

Like industrious robins building their nests, we know our labor will be rewarded with a sweet spot to rest throughout the season. When work is done, we invite friends and family, butterflies and birds, to join us in our private retreat.

Have you been busy creating your own secret garden? Are you planting vegetables to reap throughout the summer and fall? Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of the beloved classic The Secret Garden, wrote, “If you look the right way, you can see the whole world is a garden.” Perhaps you’re sowing seeds of another kind.

Are you coaxing a dream to bloom?

Are you nurturing a child to sprout up healthy and strong?

Are you tending a messy patch in your life?

Are you focused on intellectual or spiritual growth?

Are you delighting in a budding relationship?

Are you reaping the rewards of a well-lived life?

Now is the time!

“Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.” ~John Muir

Think On These Things ~ Alicia