It Takes Time to Grow a Beautiful Garden
Every spring, during the week of Mother’s Day, I go out into my backyard and get ready to plant my favorite flowers. Weeks earlier, I’ve already been to Walmart’s garden section, browsed Burpee’s website, and scrolled through Amazon, buying as many packs of zinnias as I think I’ll need.
Yes, I could easily grab flowers that are already started. I could even plant perennials. I’ve thought about it. But there’s something about zinnias that I really love. They’re just beautiful.
But in my garden, they don’t start out that way.
When they first begin to sprout, my husband looks at them, chuckles, and calls them my “struggle zinnias.” And he’s not wrong. Every single year, I fuss. I worry. I walk out into the yard, stare at those tiny, uneven sprouts, and tell myself, maybe I should’ve planted something else this year.
They look fragile and unimpressive. Like they’re barely hanging on.
And yet, a couple of months later, the stems grow taller. The leaves thicken. Buds form where I once thought nothing was happening. And then one morning, almost out of nowhere, my garden is full of color. Bright, bold, and alive. The same zinnias I doubted are suddenly standing tall, unapologetically gorgeous!
Maybe that’s why I like zinnias so much. They’re just so resilient.
Sitting out on the patio and looking at them on a beautiful summer evening reminds me of how life can be a lot like the way zinnias grow. It’s a struggle at first. Things look a little messy. Things seem so uncertain, and you start to wonder if what you’re doing is even working.
But if you stay with it, like I always do with my zinnias, you experience change. Slowly, but surely. Then, what once looked fragile starts to build a little momentum. Before you realize it, you’re surrounded by color, growth, and proof that the struggle wasn’t wasted.
Some seasons take longer than we expect. Some growth happens underground and in the dark, where no one else can see it. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
And maybe that’s the point.
Just like zinnias, we don’t bloom all at once. We grow through it, one day at a time, one season at a time.
So just remember this: it takes time to grow a beautiful garden, and you’re like one of the zinnias. Maybe you’re still in the struggle. But that’s okay because you’re growing. Growing into something beautiful.
Sheila
Here they are:
Struggle Zinnias: Chile, just eaten up, beat up, and trying to survive.😔
And still, they rise!
My Zinnias after the struggle.😂
This is you!
It Takes Time to Grow a Beautiful Garden is a guided journal designed to help you reflect on your current season of life and trust your personal growth process.
Through thoughtful prompts and affirmations, this workbook invites you to explore what feels unfinished, recognize quiet progress, and reframe struggle with compassion.
You don’t have to bloom all at once. Growth takes time. And you are still becoming. 🌸