Practical Spirituality

The Spiritual Side of Gardening (and Canning, and Bunnies Who Steal Lettuce)

Every year my container garden gets a little bigger. This year’s tomatoes were glorious, and next year I’ve already bought four new large containers—because, well, why not? Half the reason we left our condo for a house was so I could have a real garden.

Dale, of course, focuses on flowers and shrubs. Her lilies are to die for. My tomatoes? Equally divine, if I do say so myself. Together, we’ve turned the yard into a partnership: beauty and food, flowers and herbs, nourishment and delight.

🌱 Playing in the Dirt

Spring setup is tough, back-breaking work—but oh, it feels good. There’s something deeply grounding (literally!) about digging in, planting, and tending. Out there in the dirt, I detach from the world’s noise. The garden doesn’t care about news headlines or my to-do list. It just asks for water, patience, and a little love.

🔥 The Zen of Canning

But the real spiritual work begins when the harvest comes in. You see, when you’re canning tomatoes or beans, distractions are not allowed. Timing is critical, the pots are heavy, the heat is intense, and the process takes days. Safe handling = lives at stake. (Okay, maybe that’s dramatic—but anyone who’s canned knows what I mean!)

And yet…it’s Zen. I get into the zone. Everything else falls away. It’s just me, the food, the rhythm of chopping, stirring, sealing, labeling. Messy, hot, and wonderful. By the end, I’m sweaty and sore, but I’ve bottled sunshine into jars—homemade salsa, stewed tomatoes, green beans ready to brighten future meals.

🌸 Beauty and Nourishment

Throughout the season, Dale cuts flowers to bring joy into the house. I bring in yellow zucchini, beans, and sandwich tomatoes to brighten our meals. At the holidays, friends and family unwrap jars of homemade food—gifts of love, time, and patience. It’s not just nourishment for the body. It’s nourishment for the heart.

🌀 The Cycle of Renewal

Now autumn is here. The plants are dying back. The bunnies have eaten more lettuce than I care to admit. But spring will return. Seeds will sprout. Flowers will bloom. Food will grow again, because that’s what life does—and because we choose to tend it.

That’s the deeper truth of gardening: it’s a cycle of rebirth, renewal, and resilience. A practice of caring for ourselves, for each other, and yes—even for those darn little bunnies.

✨ Because at the end of the day, the garden isn’t just a patch of earth. It’s a partnership between soil, spirit, and soul. And if you ask me, that’s as sacred as it gets.