When I first ventured into vegetable gardening I was guided by books. Each step felt tenuous, like treading in the dark. My guide was a carefully drawn plan, each square foot measured, each seed accounted for. With time I relaxed. I learned that seeds grow and that I only need to provide water and shelter.
A few years have passed and now what joy! Borage, calendula, dill, sorrel and chives return on their own to resculpt the landscape. This spring, rabbits devoured the first shoots of sunflowers and greens…so I raised the height of the wire fence, used a large removeable barrel to block the entrance, and planted more seeds. I still make annual plans—plant families rotate from year to year and companions are placed side by side. Beyond my winter dreaming the real garden emerges in a flow of call and response.
Even with a plan
the path ahead is hidden
mystery unfolds
Behind the barrel gate
cilantro blooms
squash vines creep
~
In response to Suzanne’s Ontheroad prompt “Step by Step” based on this quote from Monkey King 2:
“You don’t find the path, you make it step by step”
and this haiku of Basho:
In the wintry gust
I wander, like Chikusai
the comic poet.
– from “Matsuo Bashō: The Poetic Spirit, Sabi, and Lightness,” by Makoto Uedo
©2017 Ontheland
Ontheland 
This is such a clear and all around colorful image i feel the colors bouncing out of my screen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to hear that…thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re Welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brava.. 🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Nicely done Janice for step-by-step. Some steps take care of themselves, others need to be cultivated if we want to see a harvest. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this post. It inspires me to keep going with my little vegie plot. I’ve only been here since last November so haven’t harvested much yet. I’m hoping everything will take off in the spring. I like your photos too – reminds me I must plant out some marigolds very soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes marigolds are very beneficial to plants like beans and they self seed a bit as well…though I always plant where I want a border as a companion (they are next to the beans beyond the top of the photo)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I put a few in over the weekend and will plant more when the weather is better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Call and response…what a great way to garden! (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow that looks so nice, I am a beginner for gardening, We have cilantro and Fenugreek doing well in herbs,parsley just sprouted and started to grow, have planted tomatoes and red peppers as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds great 🙂 I’ve never seen a fenugreek plant…though I have some store bought in the cupboard. Will you grow it for the leaves, seeds (or root?)…
LikeLike
I use both seeds and leaves in my cooking..If you just add few fresh leaves or dried leaves in any curry , cooked vegetables, soup gives a nice aroma and flavour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the information. I have seeds (for cooking) and haven’t tried or seen the leaves. I’ll look into whether it would grow outside here.
LikeLike