There is something so appealing to me about getting a rare plant, native to some far away environment, to bloom in my house. In this age of instant gratification and immediate results, I find something deeply gratifying in caring for a seedling for a couple of years, studying its native habitat, unique needs and then being rewarded with some exotic bloom when you get it right.
My love of orchids started when I was stressed out by work and my wife suggested I get an orchid. The operative word in that sentence is "an", as in "singular". However, a couple decades ( and hundreds of murdered plants) later, I have converted her. In addition to orchids, much of our yard is dedicated to flowers, fruits and veggies. That connection to nature, digging your hands in the dirt, growing something from seed and eating its fruit... these are all things that, for us, help offset a life of demands of modern life.
“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. ”
