Gardens: Newsletter 10th June 2007

The French have named us a ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’ but I think it is more appropriate to call us a ‘Nation of Gardeners’. You only have to look around our own, our neighbours’ and friends’ gardens and to see the wonderful examples of God’s creation. So many differing flowers, trees and shrubs; from grand gardens, feasts of colour such as Chelsea, to pocket handkerchief sized plots; from a humble window box to a couple of pots on a step with a flower showing its’ beauty bravely.

Today (10th June) is the second day of our St. Martin’s Open Gardens Weekend, and I hope that we have been fortunate with the weather, and that many people have been enjoying looking around the gardens, which are open to view. I know that everyone concerned has been working hard to bring their gardens to the peak of perfection, so they will show at their best. Many others have worked hard also, offering plants for sale on the Plant Stall and those stalwart folk who offer the delights of the refreshments.

There are many references to gardens in the Bible and perhaps the most well know is Gethsemane where Jesus brought the disciples to pray with him before His final betrayal and arrest.(Matthew 26:36-44). Jesus’ body was placed in a tomb within a garden, (John19:41-42), and Mary seeking where Jesus’ body had been taken, (John20:14-18) mistook Jesus for the gardener.

There is a line from a short poem by Dorothy Frances Gurney which goes; ‘You’re closer to God’s heart in a garden than any place else on earth’, and I think that is very true. I went on a short course about prayer and praying in different ways, some while ago, and one aspect we were asked to try was to go out into the garden, in the quiet, and touch different plants and leaves and flowers, to run our fingers through the grass, and to put our hands on the bark of a tree trunk. In the stillness, with all these differing sensations of touch, you become acutely aware of God’s presence and his greatness surrounding you and prayer seems to fill the whole of you. I found this a wonderful experience and continue to try it from time to time.

Surely, when surrounded by God’s creation in a garden we cannot fail to know his presence with us, his greatness and his infinite love.

Every Blessing, Doreen.