Dana O'Driscoll I have been busy planting seeds so that after our last frost date (May 15th) these new little plants can go into the ground. Seeds contain so much potential–its amazing to watch them grow and get stronger each day as they emerge from the soil! I am experiencing this growth and magickal awakening firsthand with the seeds I am starting for the garden. I did have to go out and buy a few little pots for the seeds, but about half of the seedlings are growing in repurposed pots and containers: tofu containers, mushroom containers, etc. I’m trying to keep my consumption of new products down to a minimum (and will be saving these seeds this year as they grow of course!)
I’m currently working on two projects: a vegetable garden (sheet mulched last fall with leaves, compost, and organic local manure) and a butterfly garden (which I started removing topsoil for just yesterday). 
For the Vegetable Garden:
- Heirloom tomatoes (three varieties)
- Heirloom Spinach
- Heirloom Potatoes (two varieties; all blue and red)
- Sweet Peppers (two varieties; Chocolate and Wisconsin, both are quick to mature)
- Rainbow Quinoa
- Strawberries
- Heirloom Onions
- Heirloom Carrots (Dragon, St. Valencia)
And maybe some corn, if I have room for it (which I will likely not). I’m also doing my best to start some comfrey from seeds to use as organic mulch, but so far, no luck.
Butterfly Permaculture Garden
The second project is a butterfly garden for my husband, who enjoys photography and butterflies. This will be mostly fragrant herbs and butterfly/bee attracting herbs and flowers, including:
- Butterfly Weed
- Butterfly Bush
- Bee Balm (Lemon Mint)
- Lemon Balm
- Chives
- Yarrow
- Purple Cornflowers
- Siberian Kale
- Lavender
- Thyme
- And a few other herbs: Cumin, basil, oregano, etc.
Fruit / Nut Tree and Bush Plantings
Last fall, we put a number of fruit and nut trees/bushes into the ground. I’m looking forward to seeing how many of them actually made the winter! We watered and mulched well all through the fall, so I have high hopes that some survived. They are:
- Two American Hybrid Chestnuts (disease resistant)
- Three Paw Paw Trees
- Two blueberry bushes
- Two huckleberry bushes
- Three American Persimmons
- Two beach plums
- One serviceberry tree
I’m not sure one of the beach plums nor two of the paw paws made it through the winter. We’ll see once the leaves begin to come back!
Thoughts…
Such a small little thing, a seed. Yet so much potential for growth. Seeds represent potential rather than certainty. So much can go wrong: soil conditions might be incorrect, it might be too cold or too warm, or perhaps there is too much or not enough water or nutrients. We, too, are like seeds–our spiritual and physical selves are ready to grow–but only if the conditions are right. Sometimes these conditions are beyond our own control, but many times, we control the conditions–nurturing a happy heart, a calm mind, and a welcoming home–despite what may be going on around us that is out of our control.
