With over three feet of snow covering the garden and the temperatures plunging well below zero, I’ve finally been forced to retreat indoors. The stark contrasts and austere beauty of our northern winter gives dramatic definition to the passage of another season. It is a time when the land as well as the soul is cleansed and awaits to be born anew. For me, it’s a time to reflect upon the past and to ponder the future. A rare moment when I’m not consumed with what has to be done, but rather, why? Gardening is a communion with nature, and to be a successful gardener we must first become disciples of nature. We learn patience and humility, and we learn to cooperate , realizing that we are not in control. Nature is timelessly serene, orderly and in perfect balance, while simultaneously in a state of dynamic evolutionary chaos.” I find these words I wrote almost forty years ago still resonate with todays mission statement. This journey has been one of choice and dharma as we continue to decorate our lives with beautiful flowers.