A Celebration of Seeds

“Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has
been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed
there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.” - Henry David Thoreau.

We have had our first hard frost or two, and so it was time to clean up the butterfly garden for the winter. So that's what I did in the morning. It took me a bit more than an hour, and when I was done, I found myself covered in twigs and leaves and seeds - all the detritus of an autumn garden.

I whacked the stems with my best whacker, and it left my hands tingling and jittering. Not so great for taking pictures, actually. All of my shots are hand-held, and so it would not have been a good day for something taxing; for instance, super-zooming, which requires an ultra-steady hand.

I stacked the stems neatly at the edge of the woods because I know about the tiny bees. Do you? Sometimes tiny creatures make their homes in the stems and remainders of our autumn gardens, and they overwinter there, emerging in springtime.

So I hope that the stems are not too far away, and that the little bees (and whatever other critters may be living inside) can easily find their way back to the garden come springtime. I think they will; I have faith in the bees.

I also have, as Thoreau has said, faith in seeds, and in growing things. For in growing things, there is great magic. Oh, to have a seed, and to be in possession of such magic!

To plant a seed and watch it grow is one of the great miracles of living. To be in harmony - and in partnership - with the Creator, working together on the great Making and Growing that keeps the world going 'round. What a delight and a privilege.

This past week in our travels, we found a milkweed seed. I can't remember if it was at Millbrook or the Arboretum. It was morning, and the seed head was covered in dew; drenched with it, actually; bedraggled. I put it in my pocket for later, but I admit I forgot about it until this day.

So, reminded by my garden adventures, in the afternoon, I sought out the seed. It was floofy and angelic looking, silky, to my surprise. It was all fluffed out and delicate and amazing. We all stood around in wonder just looking at the seed. It was like an angel. But it was a seed.

And then, well, you know how this crew is. They just had to play with the seed. Well, not actually PLAY with, but WEAR. Is wearing playing? As a mostly outdoor girl who sometimes plays at being a girly girl, I think so. Trying something on (and wearing it with great STYLE) can be playing too.

And so one of the red-shirts took the seed and paraded around, wearing it, like a hat! Cher, eat your heart out! The seed almost seemed to possess qualities that defied physics: it fairly floated above the red-shirt's head. It hung there gently. We were glad there was no breeze.

I told them what it was: that it is a milkweed seed, the favorite food of monarch butterfly caterpillars. And so we have agreed that we will use this seed to grow butterflies! Wouldn't that be a magic seed, indeed?

Yes, oh, yes, we have great faith in a seed! And we have hope for the butterflies too. For we love them as we love no other living thing. Faith, hope, and love, my friends; but the greatest of these is love. . . .

The song to accompany this whimsical image of stunning crittergator fashion is Tears for Fears, with Sowing the Seeds of Love.

P.S. We invite you, dear readers, to plant milkweed for the monarchs too, if you have them in your country. There are numerous places where you can obtain seeds for free or for cheap. Here's one; I'll bet you can find others. Happy growing!