The ‘Tiny Piece of Earth’ Project

“Gardening is the greatest tonic and therapy a human being can have. Even if you have only a tiny piece of earth, you can create something beautiful, which we all have a great need for. If we begin by respecting plants, it’s inevitable we’ll respect people.”
– Audrey Hepburn

Who doesn’t love Audrey Hepburn? She was classy, beautiful, talented, and a true philanthropist. When I first saw the films Sabrina and Roman Holiday I was blown away by her vulnerability; she made me feel exactly what she was feeling. I have been a fan ever since. Back in the 1990s, Hepburn hosted an eight episodes docuseries aptly named “Gardens of the World” where she toured the world’s most beautiful gardens. What could be more ethereal than spending time with worldly Audrey in a fragrant, lush garden? A transformative experience to say the least! I remember watching the series off and on when it came out. But I have it on my “to do” list to watch again if I can find it on Amazon Prime.

I love this quote of hers, however, because of how she links respecting plants with respecting each other. Plants provide shade, beauty, scent, food (!), oxygen and keep our species alive. Their emotional impact is intangible, however. Plants have a way of reminding us to relax and just be; of literally bringing us back down to earth. Does anyone sit in a garden and feel rushed? Usually we go to gardens to refresh, unwind and reset our flooded nervous systems. Audrey reminds us that we shouldn’t take plants for granted. If we appreciate nature and nurture our gardens, whether they are palatial or miniscule, then we will be better people. The world needs kinder, gentler people so if plants are a pathway to peace, then I’m all for it!

Speaking of gardens, on New Year’s Eve, my husband, K, and I visited Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach. It is truly like walking into a plant fairytale with its immaculate pathways and exquisite plants and flowers. I could almost feel the fairies and gnomes dancing around our ankles as we meandered from one display to another. The gardens are dripping with creativity and a passion for all things plant. I took some pictures that day, but they didn’t turn out that well and do not do the place justice.

Here is a link to this plant paradise: https://www.rogersgardens.com/

While we were there, K was inspired to create his own “tiny piece of earth.” He is far more creative in the plant arena than I am. More of a pragmatist when it comes to gardening, I will dig a hole, plant something, water it, and hope for the best. He tends to create “vignettes” of plants, with a little bit of this and a dash of that to create a mood. At Roger’s Gardens, he was in his element because there were gorgeous vignettes all over the place. So K got the idea that he wanted to transform a metal bucket we had sitting around our backyard gathering rain water and rust and turn it into a show stopper planter with succulents and stones. We live in California, where the weather is fairly moderate and planting something for the outdoors is manageable. East Coast and cold weather climate readers might be working on bulbs? I’d love to hear about winter gardens and plantings!

Anyway, here is my attempt at photo journalism to show you what us warm weather people did.

First, we went to a local nursery and selected succulents in a variety of shapes, textures and colors. K had already bought the appropriate soil. We selected stones that had a “Southwest” color to them. I am into the artistic merit of mushrooms lately, so I found a tiny ceramic one to add to our bucket.

adds his soil…

Also, not to mention, a wire and rock scorpion sculpture we bought in Palm Springs. Perhaps his threatening presence will scare away racoons, opossums and the bold squirrels that forage in our neighborhood.

This bucket of plants brings me much joy now. It didn’t take that long, either. Even though we are in the throes of winter, and planting is not possible for many people, finding a way to incorporate a plant or two could be very therapeutic. According to Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, “In some Native languages the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us’.”

Happy planting!

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