04/23/2026
A garden can teach us much about being zen. The Tao (the Way) achieves everything by doing nothing (Wu wei). It acts through effortless action rather than by forced control. Last year, I moved my clematis to a new spot and…nothing. I thought they died. Today, I find them thriving! In the Tao Te Ching, the Way is balance, presence, and non-action, which is exactly what gardening teaches. As gardeners, we bring “effortless action” to our plots: we act by facilitating (planting, watering, fertilizing), knowing that nature will do as it does. We are merely the quiet observers. Be present.