BLOOMIN

A few years ago, a dear friend of mine said...

I can't handle it when you start writing about gardening.

I just stop reading for a few months.

This was a little confusing for me since...

as I've said before, I only have three tracks:

Growing things, eating things, healing things.

To me, the garden has been the best physical representation

of growing, healing, and forgiveness.

Gardening is my crutch, my comfort and my inspiration-

the grounding that runs through everything.

No story has taught me more about redemption

than spring coming every single year.

I have practiced perseverance through

every uncharacteristically hard, wet winter.

Joy physically manifests in every single flower.

Watching bees get drunk reminds me that work and play 

shouldn't be that far apart.

Life wins.  Just look at the weeds in the sidewalk cracks.

There's room for so much more than we imagine as limited humans-

how many plants sprout in impossible circumstances,
how to trust in the timing of all things,
that rain is around the corner,
that too much of a good thing is sometimes the catalyst for change.

I could go on and on-

this is literally how I interpret the world-

through a green, botanical haze coupled with southern metaphor.

I'm learning to accept that not everyone sees this connection.

I listened to my dear friend and then just let it ruminate a while.

Magically,that little seed of truth turned into something a whole lot bigger.

A foundation of sorts for something else that was already

growing and moving within the world-

but just didn't have a platform or a voice or even a name.

I am involved pretty heavily in the suburban gardening scene in Apex.

It's a thing that I do without thinking really-

it's just part of who I am.

I've always used gardens as my primary creative palette.

I've always retreated to flowers and gardening when I needed healing.

There's an awful lot of plant knowledge floating around

in this head of mine-and it's pretty specifically 

applicable to this area,this place, this time.

I have been working in and leading several initiatives

for a couple of years now.

Behind the scenes though-

not in a way that implies ownership or a stake.

Just providing support and scaffolding to help several

non-gardeners realize their suburban gardening dreams.
Or rallying a group around a service project that is plant related.

While taking a class a few months ago,

I finally allowed myself to hear a question I'd been avoiding.

What if I made it into an actual, concrete thing?

What if I claimed this talent and moved it into the light?

Not just something that filled the spaces.

What if I did it ON PURPOSE?

What if I intentionally tried to create connection within my town?

I started focusing on it-slowly moving gardening

away from something I do selfishly and in relative solitude

into something I do intentionally and out loud.

It has been a terrifying trip.

I have a full time job-

this is truly my side project.

BUT I'VE BEEN DOING IT ANYWAY.

It's time to claim it.

And give it a space all to it's own.

The little seed planted a couple of years ago is more than sprouted...

today is the official birthday of this little beauty.

www.bloominapex.com

Bloomin cultivates connection so our story will bend

towards the light.

Bloomin focuses on what we need in order to maximize suburban

yards and suburban lives.

If it's plants, or flowers, or just general plant knowledge,

then I am happy to help our little suburb get greener, 

more knowledgeable or just more excited about possibility.

If you're local, you can hire me to support your own gardening endeavors.

I do design, container gardens, consulting, 

teaching and house staging for realtors.

I also do personal shopping for plant related stuff.

I'm at the garden centers anyway-

I might as well pick something up for you while I'm there.

If you're not local, I would recommend following 
bloomin.apex on Instagram 

for a couple of shots of gardening beauty every day.

I will try very very hard to put all blog posts related 

specifically to gardening on the Bloominapex.com blog.

You can read the first one here: I like big pots and I cannot lie.

This blog will continue to focus on personal growth,

tools that I use myself to focus,

and insights into my own story and perspective

that I think might help someone else who struggles with similar topics.

Thanks for all your words of encouragement and support.

Next week, I promise I'll get back to something not 

gardening related!