When Your Garden Needs a Little Grace

Growing and maintaining plants has never been my strong suit. I’ve always joked that if a plant can’t communicate its needs like my kids or my chickens, it’s in trouble. So, this whole bucket garden adventure? It’s been a big undertaking.

At first, I thought the problem was too much rain. The plants were looking scraggly and weak—definitely not the lush container garden I had envisioned. Every time I looked outside, it was more discouraging than delightful. And honestly, I don’t need another thing in my life that brings me stress.

So, I did what any reasonable, slightly overwhelmed gardener might do: I went to Home Depot, picked out some big, healthy plants, came home, and swapped them in. Out went the sad little stragglers, and in went vibrant, leafy greens. Now, when I look out at my garden, I actually smile.

Do I still need to figure out what went wrong with the originals? Yes. It’s definitely not as straightforward as keeping chickens happy (and that’s saying something). It’s right up there with trying to perfect sourdough using freshly milled flour—another steep learning curve I’ve embraced.

But sometimes, giving yourself permission to reset is exactly what you need. A little grace, a little growth, and a fresh start in the garden.