Page 5 - January 2023

association, north=earth, east=air, we give them exactly what they need to
south=fire, west=water, center=spirit or grow, the right sun, soil, fertilizer, water,

ether, or in a random pattern. Most often and yet they may still fail to thrive. Why?
I’ve found the plants tell me where they’d They just do not want to be in that spot.

like to reside, not the other way around. Oftentimes there is no logical reason.
I may have an idea of where a plant
would do best but very often the plants Likewise, I like to see what “shows up”.

will know better. I’m not entirely certain I keep room for the unexpected. I never
what is their criteria for placement as it plan so much into the garden that there’s

often defies gardening logic as I know no room for my wild visitors. If I did
it. I’ve seen plants defy their usual that I would miss out on a lot. The first
requirement for sun, and water and show year I planted this garden, I noticed

up in the unlikeliest of places. I’ve placed there were an abundance of Violets
plants that require 8 hours of sun in the (Viola cucullata). Many homeowners

sunniest spot in the garden only to watch and gardeners consider these plants a
them die off and relocate themselves nuisance and will rip them out, but their
a few seasons later in a completely flowers are truly lovely, tasty and their

inappropriate spot. Thriving. Go figure. medicinal benefits are quite impressive.
By the second year, the Goldenrod

I teach Medicine Wheel Gardening, (Solidago canadensis) showed up in all
one of my favorite topics to teach. It’s her early autumn glory. Another useful
a challenging topic to share in a way medicinal in addition to being a stunner.

because there are so many layers to the Followed shortly by Fleabane (Erigeron
Medicine Wheel. It requires a lifetime of pullchellus), Lobelia (Lobelia inflata), and

learning. Whenever we enter into sacred one of my very favorites St. John’s Wort
space in a conscious way, be that for ritual (Hypericum perforatum).
or gardening, everything that happens

becomes synchronistic - and if we’re Had I stuck to the “plan” stubbornly
paying attention, we can find the lessons. refusing to deviate, I would have missed

out on so much beauty, and healing, and
When I teach Medicine Wheel, we talk the native bees would have missed out
about design and I hand out templates for on important food sources. This attitude

students to work on their garden design, of co-creating with nature has allowed
but I always mention to leave room for me to notice how plants show up year

the unexpected. We may plan the garden after year and excitedly wait to see who
in a particular way, full of specific plants “a new visitor” will be each season. It’s
that we’d like to thrive in our garden, allowed me to be present to the complex

myindigosun.com 5
5