How Can We Plant Hope?
One of the first newspaper articles that I ever worked on was about urban gardeners. I photographed residents of Washington, DC, who lived in the grittier parts of the city, who tended to wonderful flower gardens.
In pursuing this subject, I was continually inspired by the sense of hope displayed by these planters. Though all around them, there were abandoned buildings and other signs of urban decay, they had within them an optimism about the future. For them, the small act of planting a seed represented a belief in a better tomorrow.
According to news reports there are record sales of seed purchases. This represents that same sense of hope being nurtured by the efforts of people around the world, whether seasoned gardeners or first-time planters, as they hunker down during these trying times. If it is one seed in a small pot positioned on a window sill, or a small plot in the backyard, planters are illustrating that you can believe tomorrow will come and with it will come something beautiful and worthwhile.
For young children, who are only beginning to understand the meaning of time, planting with them will teach them not just about patience, but also, about hope. And it will also give them a sense of responsibility while caring for their plants and strengthening their observational skills.
Each day they will discover something new about their young shoots and look forward to discovering something new again tomorrow. Anticipation and positive expectations are needed now more than ever. There are moments when we all feel overwhelmed by the unknowns in these unprecedented times. One activity that can provide a sense of not just control, but optimism, is tending and cultivating nature.
There are many wonderful children’s books about gardening that you can read with your child to extend and enrich the experience.
Here are some of my favorites:
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson
Lola Plants A Garden by Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
Planting A Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
Flower Garden by Eve Bunting
Plant A Seed & See What Grows by Roland Gahler
If you have just discovered horticulture or are continuing a history of gardening (no matter how small) please send us your photographs!
We promise to publish!
Be well and happy growing!
