The Garden Of My Heart

The Joy and Beauty of Garden Meditation

By Debby Blettner

Five stairs, five minutes, at five o’clock-

“In the cool of the day He walks with me, in the rose bordered way He talks with me. In perfect communion we have our full union in the garden of my heart”(1)

Treading lightly, spreading my toes between the pathway of white, gold-hearted Frangipani flowers, to avoid crushing them, I enter my garden.

Hugging the branch of my lemon tree assures me all is well. Lemon tree is half blackened on her trunk; she has seen better days, yet her fruit is delicious, organic and healing for me.

Stunning red Bottle-brush tree awaits me next brushing my shoulder with her velvety brush, followed by Hibiscus, pink and fresh, Poinsettia pale yellow, our dear rabbits contributing to the greenery of the garden, a spacious grape vine drawing me close to check her timely fruit.

Reaching for the sky is my shade tree, housing several hanging baskets overlaid with cacti, eye-catching red lustrous flowers, bold and beautiful, Rattail cactus and Red Orchid Cactus Flower.

A few more steps to the Lantana bush spreading her generous flowers o’er the pet graves beneath; a continual reminder of their presence. Visiting the white/pink flower tree I discover her secret, she buds white and matures pink, bearing white and pink flowers simultaneously at any one time.

Pink Frangipani approaches my sight beside Christmas red Poinsettia. More flamboyant pink Hibiscus to complete the setting.

Crossing over the garden I engage with two Palm trees, more Bottle-brush with Ivy covered trunks, a monumental Grass Tree I am learning to sculpture; Bougainvillea, fluorescent purple, Jacaranda in full bloom, lilac in color, reaching to the sky, and the lowly parsley bush feeding our family with herbs.

During my healing I spent time daily meditating on God’s creation, my own backyard, watching the birds visiting, nesting, fighting for territory, eating, droppings and singing. My meditation was timeless and beautiful.

Our family united together to watch the Kookaburras visit, or the Cockatoos in their crowd, the Doves so gentle, the Willy Wagtails that claimed most of the yard, Ravens oft visiting also with other birds of names I know not.

Healing arrived for me this year. Instead of sitting and watching I became a tender of the garden, trimming, edging, weeding, watering, fertilizing, raking, checking and maintaining the reticulation, recycling the rabbits offerings into manure for the plants.

I have witnessed my Palm tree, flattened to the ground, when the back fence collapsed after a heavy storm, only to find my dear husband rescuing it, roots intact standing once again, unharmed. I took strength from this tree. I wrapped my arms around several trees, felt their energy, their life, which fed my energy supply.

They are always there for me, all I need to do it walk out of my back door and I am with them.

I like to think that is how God is, a reflection of His creation, He is JUST always there. Ready to hug, a shoulder to cry on, something to admire, smell, see, feel, hear and maybe taste. A place to laugh, breathe, rest and reflect, and be.

Precisely five o’clock every afternoon I am drawn to our special garden, the one of my heart and the one of our yard. I unlock the treasures of my heart amidst the pruning, weeding, gathering watering, planting, in my garden.

The parallel for me is clear, both for my heart and my garden. Both need pruning, weeding, watering, fertilizing, edging, a gentle but firm hand to create the needed boundaries to perfect a beautiful garden.

(1) Refrain from: The Garden of My Heart, by Haldor Lillenas