“When you take the time to grow what you love, wonderful things happen.”
— Emily Murphy

Gardening season has officially arrived, and our April book of the month is as fresh as a spring breeze.

Grow What You Love, written by organic gardener and Pass the Pistil blogger Emily Murphy, is a book that captures the spirit of spring within its pages.

The start of a new year is often a time for starting fresh, when we look ahead to the future and focus on new projects and personal growth.

It seems only fitting that the New Year arrives during the heart of winter, at least where we’re from, so that by the time spring rolls around and the earth is coming to life we too feel refreshed, energized, and ready to bloom into our new and improved selves.

Our personal growth so far this year has involved learning how to brew the perfect pot of tea and making strides towards learning a new language.  We’ve also reconnected with our youthful energy and given gymnastics a try, and now we want to take things a step further and nurture ourselves from the inside out by following the advice of gardening expert Emily Murphy to find joy in the simple things and grow something fresh and delicious.

Emily’s philosophy for gardening — and for life — is simple: when you cultivate joy and growing in all parts of your life, wonderful things will happen. In other words: grow what you love.

A Guest Blog for Pollinator Week by Emily Murphy

Climate change, habitat loss, and pesticide use are just a few of the challenges pollinators currently face. Fortunately, there are a number of simple, everyday things we can do to help these creatures and it starts with our gardens.

Grow a Variety of Flowering Plants & Grasses

Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are just 3 of many essential pollinators. Beetles, lizards, bats, and flies along with a host of other insects rank up there as key species. Growing a diverse selection of flowering plants and grasses creates a diverse ecosystem that is more likely to support a range of pollinators.