#TheNeighborsGarden

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The Neighbour's Garden Shaina Tranquilino November 4, 2024

Olivia had always been curious about the garden next door. Mr. Garrison, her elderly neighbour, spent hours every day pruning roses, planting vegetables, and coaxing blooms from the smallest buds. His garden was a vibrant sea of color, bursting with sunflowers, snapdragons, and vegetables ripe for picking. But Olivia only ever watched from her window, too shy to ask if she could see it up close.

One crisp spring afternoon, as she sat on the front steps, Mr. Garrison approached, walking slowly with a watering can in hand. He looked over and gave her a warm smile.

“Hello, Olivia,” he said, his voice gentle. “Would you like to help me in the garden?”

Her eyes lit up. She hopped off the step and followed him through the gate, stepping into the most beautiful world she had ever seen. Flowers of every colour and shape surrounded her, their petals swaying softly in the breeze. The smell of damp earth mixed with the floral scents, making the air feel fresh and alive.

Mr. Garrison handed her a small spade. “Why don’t you help me plant some carrots?” he suggested, showing her how to dig little holes and drop the seeds in.

Day by day, Olivia returned to help in the garden. She learned how to prune flowers, plant seeds, and even sing to the plants, as Mr. Garrison insisted they liked music. Each small task became something precious. She loved watching the tiny sprouts push up through the soil and seeing the bees buzz around the blossoms they’d planted together.

Over time, Olivia noticed something else about Mr. Garrison: he spoke as softly to the plants as he did to her, with a gentleness that made her feel safe and seen. He told her stories about each flower, as if they were old friends, and showed her that a garden was a place for patience and kindness, just like friendships.

One day, as they finished planting marigolds, Mr. Garrison patted the soil around the plants. “You know, Olivia,” he said thoughtfully, “a garden is a bit like a friendship. If you tend to it with care, it grows and blooms. But you’ve got to visit it every day, to give it sunshine and water.”

Olivia nodded, understanding. It was in those moments, hands dirty with soil and a heart full of warmth, that she realized that kindness was not just in grand gestures but in the small, daily acts of caring and nurturing. She found that tending to Mr. Garrison’s garden had brought them closer in ways she hadn’t expected, and she treasured their time together.

One summer morning, as Olivia watched the carrots they’d planted grow tall and strong, she smiled, feeling proud. She had learned so much, and now she had her own small patch in Mr. Garrison’s garden, full of herbs and tiny flowers.

As autumn arrived, Mr. Garrison gave her a small pot with a sprig of rosemary. “For your own garden someday,” he said with a wink. Olivia hugged him, grateful for both the plant and the lessons she’d learned.

From then on, every time she saw a garden, Olivia thought of Mr. Garrison, of kindness, and of the beauty that comes from nurturing life—one small seed at a time.