The day lily garden in this picture is one that I prune weekly during it's blooming months of July and August. It's a long row of yellow flowers that stand tall with there slender stems of all different lengths and sizes. They require a lot of sun which makes this garden a hot one to be working in, especially this summer where temps have been in the high 80's. When I first begin snapping off the flowers that have passed and cutting down stems without new buds it seems so daunting because there's so much work but I move along quickly and soon see the results of how neat and tidy it looks. I find the act of pruning very meditative. It takes a lot of focus, precision, concentration, patience and knowledge of the plant. As I move along the row I feel content, calm and exactly where I'm supposed to be. This feeling makes me think of my mother who loved day lilies and had many in her garden. There I feel close to her, having a conversation about our love through nature. After several weeks of this abundant good feeling I have of her watching over me working in this particular bed I thought I should look up the symbolism for day lilies. There I found they mean "positive state" and "forgetting worries." Also in ancient China the flower was worn by women expecting a child in hopes that it would be a boy. Therefore they also represent "devotion to one's mother."
Once again nature reveals that my experiences are real and relevant, leaving me with comfort in my heart that my mom too can feel our connection.
