Gardens are a source of wisdom, surprise, and joy, especially when they are wild.

Our property, named Evergreen, continually amazes me with its seasonal variations, energetic growth, and wildlife. As I spend time in this natural world, sipping coffee amidst exuberant flowers and sometimes helping things grow, it shares its wisdom with me about how to embrace everyday life.

I don’t know the Latin names of plants. Nor am I an expert gardener. Many of the resources and blogs I create feature what the New York Times columnist Margaret Roach calls the ‘woo woo’ of gardens and gardening – the universal wisdom available to us as we spend time in nature.

My garden is wild. If a spinach plant pops up between the zinnias, I leave it there to flourish. Lettuce seedlings nestle under roses. Hollyhock seed stalks thrust their way through the banana palm, and a self-sown olive tree shares space with purple buddleias while offering shade to fiery red geraniums.

Everyone’s life has wild parts to it. Unexpected things happen. We never know what will appear next in the garden of our life.

So, how can we cope and grow through all that life throws at us?

Learn from my inspired ramblings at the garden at Evergreen – and at the same time fall in love with your garden all over again, even if it’s one cactus on a windowsill.