"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."~Greek Proverb~
My green thumb needs polishing and physically gardening is not something I'm able to do a lot of. But gardeners plant for more than themselves. When we moved here my heart was thrilled to find a previous gardener had left a very nice yard, landscaped and planted to enjoy all year.
Forsythia is something that I've loved for-EVER, but never personally had. Well...obviously I do now. My neighbor was quite insistent with the landlord that the bush not be trimmed. She is an avid gardener. I am grateful for her request every day. This bush is shelter for so many birds. I have been amazed at the variety and number of birds in my backyard. For now I can't have pets, so I feed the birds...and several squirrels who help themselves.
This explosion of cheerful sunshine in flowers is definitely a thing to count as joy.
The Heart of the Tree
WHAT does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of
sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high.
He plants a home to
heaven anigh
For song and mother-croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard --
The treble of heaven's harmony --
These things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants cool shade and tender
rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest's heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
They joy that unborn eyes shall see --
These things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
In love of home and loyalty
And far-cast thought of civic good --
His blessing on the neighborhood
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land --
A nation's growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
Henry Cuyler Bunner
