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Written By Lara Wadsworth |
Whether you’ve got a greenhouse full of rare orchids, a single stubborn pothos in your kitchen, or you just enjoy walking past a park on your way to work, plants have something to teach you. From sequoias standing tall for centuries to tiny moss thriving in sidewalk cracks, they show us what it means to endure, adapt, and grow. Their quiet persistence holds wisdom for every stage of life, if we’re willing to notice it.
Plants are professionals at rolling with the punches. If I’ve learned anything in my life so far, it is that change is the only thing I can truly count on. Life is full of phases and stages that come and go. Parenthood has taught me this more than anything. Each stage has its pros and cons, and yet they all come to an end to make room for something new.
The humble coneflower plant can be a symbol of this. A hardy perennial native to North America, this beautiful plant seems to be tolerant of pretty much anything. Each year, this flower has its time in the sun to soak up energy and bloom profusely. Yet, when winter arrives, it knows to let its foliage die back for a while. It stores all its energy in its roots, and then when spring comes again, it waits for just the right time and bursts forth for another season. We can be like this. We all have seasons of productivity and seasons of rest. The trick is knowing what season we are in and not letting any one stage last too long.
I’m not just talking about raising kids here. In the natural world, the healthiest ecosystems are the ones that are the most diverse. Plants rely heavily on their surrounding environment, including the microbes in the soil, various insects that fly around them, neighboring plants, and animals to spread seeds or prune foliage. Nature recognizes that we require a diverse range of talents and personalities to create a genuinely healthy habitat.
Take clover, for example. Clover is a classic example of an often-overlooked team player. This plant is frequently mistaken for a weed (and, of course, it is sometimes), but it is also a nitrogen-fixing plant. In other words, it takes nitrogen from the atmosphere and returns it to the soil for other plants to utilize. Yet, it relies on a healthy soil microbiome to do that. Without the right soil microbes, it cannot fulfil its purpose. In this culture of individuality, we often resist admitting that we need other people. However, the truth is that we need as many different people as possible to make our societies run smoothly.
This summer, I had three tiny petunia plants pop up in my garden seemingly out of nowhere. I did not plant petunias this year, or even last year. I puzzled over this for some time until I realized that my neighbor had six hanging baskets of petunias last year. They soon fell into neglect and didn’t make it through the summer. I had forgotten about this, but those plants had to be the ones from which these rogue seeds came.
I was in shock when I realized where they came from, mainly since my neighbor had recently been forced to move out of her home, which she had lived in for the last 14 years, due to circumstances beyond her control. It was a potent reminder to me that there will always be a chance to start again, maybe not in the way you wanted or imagined, but in a way that allows you to move forward. Annuals drop seeds. Perennials retreat for the winter. However, both have the ability to burst forth in bloom when the snow melts and the circumstances improve. We can be like that too!
I am always so impatient at the start of spring and summer. I want to harvest fresh tomatoes from my garden RIGHT NOW! However, I often don’t get tomatoes until late July or even August. That’s just how long it takes in my area and with the varieties I like to grow. I tenderly care for the tomato plants all of spring and most of summer, and then I get to enjoy the fruits of my labors.
We can remember this principle for our own lives. Some things just take time, and that’s all we can do. Even the fastest, most prolific growers don’t turn into a bush or a tree overnight. Don’t expect to have your dream career from day one. Don’t expect to be a perfect parent right away. Don’t expect to be an expert at anything in a short period. Many of the most rewarding endeavors we undertake require time, energy, and patience.
If you have ever experienced seasonal depression, this will particularly resonate with you. Did you know that studies indicate that increased sun exposure is linked to lower depression risk, reduced antidepressant use, and improved self-reported happiness? Even the most shade-tolerant plants will wither in total darkness. I often think of the famous sunflower when considering this topic.
Young sunflowers are known to track the sun’s movement across the sky over the day, so they are always facing the light. This behavior, known as heliotropism, enables them to maximize sunlight exposure for photosynthesis. Not only can we mimic this behavior by literally getting more sunlight in our days, but we can also view this in a metaphorical sense. Surrounding ourselves with things that bring light, energy, and happiness into our lives is a great way to go through life.
The plants that can withstand the strongest winds have the most flexible stems. Rigidity results in breaks and splinters. Bamboo is a member of the grass family and can grow extremely rapidly. Yet that results in weaker stems. However, in strong winds, its slender stalks sway almost like dancers, moving with the gusts instead of resisting them. This flexibility keeps them from snapping, even in hurricanes that topple sturdier-looking trees.
Adaptability helps us weather life’s storms. When we find ourselves in the midst of an unexpected difficulty, it is easy to feel like we need to hunker down and stand firm. While yes, that is true in some sense, it is also critical to be able to sway and dance with the wind. Just as bamboo stays rooted while bending with the wind, we can hold on to our values while allowing our plans, routines, or even our expectations to shift. Life will always bring moments that test us, but we can lean into change instead of fighting it.
Almost as important as having flexible stems to withstand winds is strong roots to ground you in the soil. For example, the mighty oak tree stands strong through rain or shine and seems to be utterly unchanged by the whims of Mother Nature. That is because they slowly and carefully craft a deep and wide root system over decades (sometimes centuries).
In our own lives, strong roots can come in the form of relationships, values, or habits that keep us steady when everything else seems uncertain. Whether it’s a close friend, a family member, journaling, religious beliefs, or a geographical location, these roots provide stability no matter what is happening on the surface. Like an oak, we might not notice the full importance of these people and practices until the storm hits, but they are what enable us to weather life’s storms.
Anyone who has tended a vegetable garden knows how critical good soil is. A pepper plant without nitrogen can’t grow sturdy roots or lush leaves. Without phosphorus and potassium, it won’t produce strong flowers that turn into fruit. Without calcium, the fruit may never fully mature. Each nutrient plays a role, and the plant’s health depends on getting the right balance.
We’re no different. The “nutrients” we take in (food, rest, relationships, ideas) shape our physical, mental, and even spiritual health. Sometimes unexplained struggles can be traced back to missing essentials, whether it’s a key vitamin or a bit of encouragement. And, let’s be honest, a small snack has been known to rescue many a bad day. Just like a garden, our well-being depends on steady, balanced nourishment if we want to thrive.
I started my own cucumber plants from seed this year. One late spring day, not long after I had finally transplanted them outdoors, I was playing in the yard with my son and my dog. All of a sudden my son threw my dog’s ball directly at my freshly transplanted seedlings. Needless to say there were some broken stems. I can’t hold it against them too much. One of them is a dog, and the other was 18 months old. Despite the damage, I decided to let the cucumber plants stay where they were.
Most of them were fine, one of them just looked a little disturbed, and only one looked like the stem had been snapped. A miracle followed. What happened is that after the stem snapped, it was still attached, just damaged, and was lying on the soil. That length of stem sprouted tons of roots to compensate and it turned into one of my most robust and productive cucumber plants. We can be like that cucumber plant more often than you might think. Sometimes it feels like all the odds are stacked against us. But it is those very obstacles that pave the way for our success. Just like the best-selling author, Ryan Holiday says, “the obstacle IS the way.”
When you prune a fruit tree, you’re deliberately cutting away parts of a seemingly healthy plant. To the untrained eye, this can look barbaric and unnecessary. Yet, any experienced grower knows that in order for a fruit tree (like apples) to be the most productive and produce the biggest and most flavorful fruits, some of the limbs must be pruned off. The act feels counterintuitive in the moment, yet it’s an investment in future abundance.
There are many times in life that feel like we are having our figurative limbs pruned off. Losing a job, the death of a loved one, goals or plans falling apart, financial struggles, or the betrayal of a trusted person. There are many ways we can feel like we are being “pruned.” But often, these heartbreaking situations create the space in our lives for us to develop in a new direction. We can emerge stronger, more focused, and more fruitful. The seasons of cutting back are rarely pleasant, but like a well-tended tree, you can emerge from them with deeper roots and a richer harvest.
To end, I want to bring up one of my favorite plant-life analogies: the bonsai tree. Did you know there aren’t special varieties of trees bred to be bonsais? A bonsai is a bonsai because it’s carefully pruned, trained, and contained in a way that shapes it into a living work of art. Another tree with the same DNA could grow into a massive maple or ginkgo. We can’t compare ourselves to others. Some of us are being pruned, some left to grow wild. Some sway easily in the wind; others are just beginning to feel it. None of this defines our worth or value, only that we’re each growing toward our own kind of beauty.
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Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer |
I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I currently reside. I love all things plants! After completing a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture, I found a dream work-from-home job that allows me to share my passion. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!
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