Feel More Peaceful
With Garden Peace

Did you know that some of the people that were in concentration camps actually planted their potato peelings in the ground, just in case they might still be around to harvest their serene bounty? They found ways to have peace now, not later, when they got out of the camp, but right now, living as unruffled as they could with the circumstances that life brought them. Plants and gardening can bring you a wonderful feeling of tranquility. Not to mention the fact that, of all the studies I've heard or read about on people who live the longest, most of them did gardening. I'm not talking about your average garden, but one where you plant the types of fruits and/or veggies YOU love to eat. You can easily plant and harvest a gorgeous garden, even if you are living in a small hotel or motel room. I actually have a stunning indoor window garden and am living in a small motel room right now. You can even start an amazing garden if you have a brown thumb instead of a green one, which is how I started ;) You can even do it if you are homeless; I have done that too. Most fruits and vegetables even have beautiful flowers for a short time during their growing season. So your garden plants can be both striking and fragrant. You can start living your life right now, with more peace, through gardening.

I didn't start out thinking about gardening when I first became homeless. In fact, I was definitely a brown thumb when I first had plants, before I became homeless. With a little bit of studying though, I became better and better, and so can you :) The one homeless shelter where I was staying at had some landscaping, a kind of garden, and I saw that with a little bit of care it could become something really great. I asked if I could work on it, and soon it did become very attractive, people even complimented me on it all the time. The garden was not only beautiful and green, but lots of the plants had pretty flowers on them as well. I started cutting the flowers just before they turned brown, and giving them to people, which made their day and mine. Not only that but I found out so much about the landscaping, like they had plants like mint growing that smelled so good. Of course most of the flowers, and especially the roses, smelled divine. The petals felt so nice and soft in my hands, like satin or velvet. The snip sniping of the dead leaves and anything that was out of place was so satisfying. And later I realized I could shape the plants anyway I wanted to.

When I finally got my own cubicle in the next homeless shelter I stayed at, I began planting cilantro. I got a cup from the kitchen, and put some rocks in the bottom and filled it with dirt I found outside. Then I planted the cilantro and put the night lamp (that the shelter provided every cubicle with) on it almost 24 hours a day, even though we weren't allowed to stay in our rooms during the day. So my little plant got enough sun even when I couldn't be there for it. Another cool thing about it was that it was a clear glass cup, so I could see the roots growing as well as the plant. Later, when I planted my first seeds in my current hotel room, I tried planting all sorts of things: like sunflowers, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, tarragon, and basil etc. I planted so many things and I found out that some did better than others. Of course I soon found out that different plants did better in my room than my neighbors room, and some did better in her room than mine. You see as soon as she saw my garden she wanted one of her own, so I gave her whatever seeds she wanted, after all I had lots of seeds left over in my seed packets. So we both learned some plants do better in a warmer environment (the way I keep my room in the winter) and some do better in a cooler place, like my friends room. So it was really fun seeing what we could get away with growing in our different rooms, even in winter. So yes, you can even grow a magnificent garden in winter-time as well :)

Hopefully you are starting to see that you can always have a garden, no matter what your circumstances. I even eventually got a sprouting jar; which I actually could of used even when I was homeless in my car. Just like if my motel room didn't have a wide ledge, I would of either put the garden on a table in front of the window, or I would of hung the plants from the ceiling. Right now I'm growing really tasty peppers. And the basil smells heavenly whenever I accidentally brush up against it. Giving yourself the gift of a garden will help you lead a more peaceful enjoyable life. Not to mention the physical and health benefits you get from gardening. So take time out to do nice things for yourself, like gardening, it will not only give you more self-luv, but giving of your bountiful harvest to others will bring more luv back to you from others. Remember that life is a balance and that luv truly is the answer. So just pick any of the delightful gardening courses below to get you started. Together we will grow in peace, love, and joy. All my luv to you and then some, luv, Katrina.