Nettles in the Garden

Tending the garden. Planting, watering, weeding, feeding, loving up the plants. 

Dividing; untangling the intertwined roots that have become knotted in the earth.  At times, taking a sharp knife to recalibrate the plant’s future.  Yes, a sharp knife! When people see me doing that they often can not believe how harsh I appear.  Tending the garden can be harsh.  Especially when nature is persistent, unpredictable, and not willing to have it your way.  The weather often does not cooperate; either too much rain or the seasonal drought presents itself.  Or the ever- persistent bugs, slugs, chipmunks, squirrels that all want to celebrate the bounty of your garden.  Then there are the weeds or wild ones that drop in from the universe and make themselves known.  That is what happened to me with nettle.

   I remember several years back that a small patch of nettle appeared in a small garden right next to the house. It is one that I am in everyday picking parsley, chives, cilantro, and other culinary herbs. So I had to encounter her daily with her infamous burning “hairs” that when skin comes in contact offers up an uncomfortable burn….thus the name stinging nettles and often commonly called the seven minute itch.  So I did what many gardeners do with “weeds”;  I asked my husband to remove it, which he did- but the nettle returned year after year.  The long story short is that I finally listened to her, welcomed her into the green neighborhood of my yard, and began to study her.  Believe me when I say that yes, these plants that show up in your yard are here for you-to teach you….if you listen.  I would offer that welcoming the wild in as a teacher will serve you well.  Listen, and be in relation with these green beings.  They are here for you in the garden of the wild soul.