Now that spring is truly here, I find that my studio extends right out into the garden. I still can’t quite believe how gardening has crept up on me as an interest.

The seeds were planting when I was young and my mom would walk me in the stroller and as we’d pass things say, “Oh, there are some hyacinths.” “Look at that forsythia. Isn’t it pretty?” Now I find myself insisting my husband walk around our little patch so that I can do the same with him. “Oh, honey, did you see this? That’s a hydrangea.” “Look, the tulips came up!”

Now, as I tend to my own garden, perhaps the most significant thing I’ve learned is to stay with and believe in larger projects, to trust that little by little with care and effort, things will develop and grow. This gives me a sense of peace, hope and patience – which is particularly great because the latter is not one of my best qualities!

As I admit to myself that gardening has simply and surprisingly become a part of my creative life, I was delighted to find a way to combine it with another favourite creative practice: journaling.