I went for a drive out of my local town a few days back. It was a work related trip where I had to find out some information about a competitor but once I had got that sorted I found a little nursery along the way back and decided it was worth having a walk through.
Whenever I am out I try to remember places that I come across if I can't make it on the day and I'll then go back to explore. Luckily this time I was able to take a look around while on my way back.
It wasn't a very big nursery but it was filled with flowers in bright bloom everywhere that I looked. A lot of work, love and effort goes into keeping a nursery like this going and with only two staff members walking about helping people, potting and watering, they seemed to have their hands full.
I marvelled at the colours and felt instantly brighter, happier and lighter. These little excursions are as much for recreation as they are for some form of visual therapy. Something as pretty and fragile as a spring flower can feel like it's taken all my troubles away with just a blink.
I wrote a post recently about searching out a new career stream and how much I would love to have the opportunity to work at a plant nursery again. I've always loved how it feels to dig your hands into soil, plant a seed and then watch it grow into something beautiful. I've probably propagated well over 10 000 plants in my days there and it was a time of hard work but such massively wonderful rewards at the end of a day.
On of the most exhilarating and peaceful jobs I ever had the fortune to do for a couple of months. It was only a contract position but it was one I will never forget and am seriously considering looking into again. I've been thinking about what kind of capital you need to start a nursery, even a small one and it's well beyond what I currently have, but the dream? The dream is still alive.
I browsed around thinking of all the hours worth of work tending to these plants and making sure that they were kept in the right areas for their growing conditions. I also thought about the number of species that they had here, whether they propagate mother plants and take cuttings or whether they buy in seeds in large quantities to plant in little seed trays.
The feelings overwhelmed me with a sense of real love and care, the kind that a mother might feel for her young. Watching them grow and protecting them from the elements, keeping them safe from harm.
I really wish I could work with plants again and get that feeling of growth and accomplishment from these gorgeous plants. What a joy it would be. I ended up buying the cut flowers that you saw in the first picture for a friend. They were a great gift to pass on after a lovely day walking around and breathing in the green. It filled me with hope and excitement for what is to come and a sense of purpose to pursue my goals and make them a reality.