Those of you who know me well, know that I am no gardener, my knowledge is limited to growing grass, dandilions, Daisies and weeds, so I invest very little time in tending my garden apart from mowing the lawn and blame time restrictions and the weather for my lack of interest and expertise. One of the fascinating things about moving house is that we inherit the gardens other people leave behind and I have noticed over the years that familiar plants put in an appearance each year, while others turn up from time to time. This year we have had a fine crop of these yellow flowers, which according to an app on my phone, (dowloaded simply to identify them) are some variety of Primrose. They have flowered in abundance and have been in full display since late August.
We live on a corner plot on a very popular route for dog walkers as they journey from the large housing estate behind our house on their way to the fields on the opposite side of the road to us and I find our garden a bit of an embarrsement compared to the fine gardens of our neighbours along the road, yet I somehow feel that where I have complete incompitence, God comes to the fore. Earlier in the year we were mowing the lawn and taking out some of the wild garlic around the perimiter when a couple walked past, they told us how much they enjoyed walking past our garden and the smell of the garlic and how it reminded them of walking in the countryside. They might have been being sacrastic, but it made me feel good.
My sometimes unkempt garden, might not be in the league of my neighbours finely manicured examples, but it reminds of that great truth, that even when I do my very worst, God continues to do his very best. This should never be an excuse to be lazy, but I never cease to be amazed at the beauty of God’s creation. Close to the junction of the A1M and the M62 near Ferrybridge there is a field to your right, catch it at the right time of the year, the field is red with wild poppies, nobody deliberately planted them, but I always stare in awe as I see them and it reminds me that even when we are doing nothing, God is still at work.