by C J Jackman Zigante

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: January 31, 2012

For two years due to a broken water pipe that required digging up the lawn to fix, we had this big round clumpy mound of brown dirt right smack dab in the middle of it. My husband kept threatening to do something about it and to his credit he did actually go and buy a jar of wildflower seedlings and some gardening tools which he put in the basement and promptly forgot he'd bought.

Each year as spring arrived he would step outside on the first bright sunny day, coffee in hand and announce, This year I am going to plant some flowers there and it's gonna look awesome." Then each fall he would step outside coffee in hand and announce "Darn it's to late this year, but next spring for sure honey I promise, soon as the weather gets warm."

Having several things around the house that Mark was going to get to next year', over the fourteen years we'd been married, I wasn't holding my breath. So imagine my surprise when last spring I stepped outside to find the circle of dirt now ringed with beautiful white stones and freshly poured new topsoil. I was so excited I did the happy dance right there in my front yard, much to my neighbours delight.

For days we kept a silent vigil, watching, waiting for that first sign of green to come up announcing the birth of our garden. I think I may have actually shed a tear, when my husband finally called me outside one morning pointing excitedly. I looked down and there was this tiny green speck poking its way out to greet the sun.

It was like a treasure hunt for us as each blossom came up throughout the spring and well into the summer. By fall we had experienced Golden Lupine, beautiful Dwarf Dogwood, Wild Iris, and my favourites Forget-Me-Not. Each fresh burst of color gave me such joy, that I found myself looking around at other areas that might benefit from a touch of flower power. Hard to believe that one little patch of dirt could become such a big inspiration but it had. Who knew a wildflower garden could touch me so deeply.

All we'd done was plant some seeds and watch them grow. It made me wonder how much more we could do; if we had just a little more know how. In my minds eye I could see a cornucopia of color greeting us all year round. I have to admit the thought of that was almost enough to make me run out and plant seeds in the snow, almost.

The other day as is his habit, as you may have figured out by now, my husband stood in the front yard drinking his coffee. I stepped outside to join him. Spring was definitely in the air and the warmth of the morning sun on our faces made us both take a deep breath and let out a sigh. Almost in unison we looked at the garden. "Just a couple more weeks" he whispered. Looking down at it wistfully, I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth; I could have sworn I saw a tiny green sprout peeking up at me.

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