This is the final week for discussing gardening on this blog dedicated to the neurodivergent brain. However, today, I’d like to take the time away from ADHD to highlight more insights from my gardening experience with my family.
When gardening, my husband’s favorite thing to grow is not produce, but rather a gigantic sunflower. This sunflower grows tall and big, blooms briefly, and then disappears, but he loves it. He takes care of these plants from start to finish. Whenever I watch him with these plants, I can’t help but think of the movie “Dennis the Menace,” where the neighbor next door buys an exotic plant that blooms for a moment and then disappears, with the anticipation of bringing immense joy. It’s the same feeling that my husband experiences with these plants — all the dedication and time spent finally coming to fruition to experience a moment of joy that he wouldn’t have without the time spent. It’s amazing to watch how a seed that turns into a flower can create joy to one person.
One thing I’ve noticed since the beginning of the season is that my kids have become more engaged in the process. They are now happily picking basil and tomatoes from the garden. My son even took a watermelon seed that he had eaten, planted it, and watched it grow. Meanwhile, my daughter took charge and planted some seeds of her own.
Even though this year has been an unexpected experience with a lot of learning, I am grateful for the lessons learned, the time spent outside, and the joy I have experienced with everyone in my family. I am super excited to finish this year and start next year with all the knowledge and experience that my family has gained.