News from Jill

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban

Gardens are a form of autobiography.
~Sydney Eddison, Horticulture magazine, August/September 1993

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.
~Lindley Karstens, noproblemgarden.com

Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made

By singing: -"Oh, how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade.
~Rudyard Kipling, "The Glory of the Garden"

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination. ~Mrs. C.W. Earle, Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden, 1897

No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson

I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace

I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden.
~John Erskine

Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul. ~Linda Solegato

If you've never experienced the joy of accomplishing more than you can imagine, plant a garden. ~Robert Brault

Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden.
~Robert Brault

So much of our work is related to gardening: having a vision of a beautiful garden where only dirt existed beforehand; overcoming harsh environments to bloom again; witnessing the power of soil (soul) enrichment or the destruction of neglect.
There is so much to learn about leadership from our gardens!

Gardener's Tip #1: Prune the deadwood - it destroys the energy of others and prevents progress and new growth.

Gardener's Tip #2:  Give your plants time to recover from a bad freeze before throwing them away. With proper attention and guidance, this plant may pull through and shine again. With its deep roots and longevity in the garden, a replacement would be costly and time intensive to fill this spot. Keep a sharp attentive eye on the plant - give it time, but know when it's time for it to move out of your garden.

Gardener's Tip #3: Enjoy the fruits of your labor. Put a little fun in your garden with whimsical touches here and there, just for the heck of it.

Gardener's Tip #4: Mix it up - a garden is most beautiful when it reflects a creative design of unexpected combinations.

Gardener's Tip #5: Neglect your garden at your own peril. Risk the growth and infestation of poison ivy, stinging ants, and uncontrollable weeds. Take care of these immediately - delay only causes bigger problems later on.


How does YOUR garden grow?

In the rush of a busy week, I long for time in my flowerbeds! Enjoy these photos of my gardening therapy.

My public workshops and retreats are designed for busy women with full lives, helping them to regain their power, refocus their energies and find the supportive resources that they need to move forward in their careers and lives. This gift to them will gift you in return. They will have a lighter step in their walk, a brighter look in their eyes, and a creative fire in their spirit. Energy, creativity, spark, fire - all the elements for increased productivity, innovation, and improved leadership!