Ep 235. What Nature and Gardens Gifted Us

Mary Stone reflects on lessons learned from a year of observation in the garden and wild places beyond it. From copperheads and moths to healing land and personal change, she explores how slowing down, trusting nature, and paying attention to what often goes unseen can lead to growth, understanding, and quiet transformation.

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Link to the Companion Blog Post: What Nature & Gardens Taught Us 

 🌿 Featured Podcasts and Posts: 

Ep 234. Stillness Teaches Growth Through Nature

Stillness Teaches Growth Through Nature – Blog 

Ep 221. Curious Copperhead Encounters

Curious Copperhead Encounters – Blog 

Ep 195. Healing from Hyper-Humus Peat Mining

Healing from Hyper-Humus Peat Mining - Blog 

Ep 217. Moth Surveying in a NJ Mountain Meadow

Moth Survey in a Mountain Meadow – Blog 

Ep 200 A Milestone in Our Journey Together

A Milestone in Our Journey Together - Blog Post

 Ep 230. Lessons from a Late No-Till Garden

Lessons from a Late No-Till Garden - Blog

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

Transcript

Ep 235. What Nature and Gardens Gifted Us 

Sat, Dec 27, 2025 7:55PM • 11:52

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Nature, gardens, lessons, seasons, curiosity, observation, trust, soil, conservation, moths, community, transition, renewal, gratitude.

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

Mary Stone  00:00

Mary, Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone, and welcome to garden dilemmas, delights, and discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about Nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learn from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other, we have lots to talk about. 

Mary Stone  00:26

Hello there. It's Mary Stone, and welcome to the screen porch. I was delighted that Frosty came to town yesterday and added a new coat of snow. Though it's close to 40 degrees and so it's melting quickly, and it's the day before Christmas, the end of Hanukkah, and almost the beginning of a new year, which will be today's topic. But first, I want to thank those who reached back after our last conversation, Stillness Teaches Growth Through Nature. Your kind wishes about my book, The Lesson of the Leaf, it means so much. It's our book, really. We talked about seasons and how they don't always arrive when we expect them to, how Nature never apologizes for timing, and how wisdom often reveals itself when we stop resisting change and begin observing it. The conversation stayed with me because, as I look back on the stories we shared over the last year, I see a year shaped by curiosity: choosing to lean in rather than pull away, to observe rather than react, and to trust that even what unsettles us has something to teach. 

Mary Stone  01:33

Oh, my goodness, do you hear that wind kicking in? I wonder if that's the next cold front and the next bit of snow on its way. Seasons have their timing. So today, it feels like a moment to pause and glance back over the path we've walked together and notice what grew, not just in our gardens, but within us. And it starts like this.

Mary Stone  01:55

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. As we approach a new year, I may reflect on the journey of our weekly chats and how we have grown together. One of the stories that stood out this year was episode 221, "Curious Copperhead Encounters." On the surface, it was a story about a snake, one that people fear, but as often happens, the garden had more in mind. After that column ran in the newspaper, a woman stopped me on the side of the road as I was walking Jolie and told me she had always been afraid of snakes, but after reading the story, she found herself seeing them differently. She was fascinated by how the copperhead flattened its body as a defense mechanism, making itself appear larger. She said, "I realize that wasn't such a bad way to respond when you're afraid. Instead of panicking or lashing out. Just pause. 

Mary Stone  02:49

The same spirit of observation carried through many of this year's episodes. We spent time talking about soil, no till, gardening, leaf litter, fungi, and the unseen networks beneath our feet, but really, those conversations were about trust. A listener favorite was episode 195, Healing from Hyper Humus Peat Mining. We explored acres of land once heavily harvested for peat, not far from where I live here. The land looked irreparably damaged and how, with the help of Mother Nature, conservationists and committed neighbors, healing is underway. It wasn't just the science; it was the patience. Nature wasn't rushed; the soil wasn't forced. Healing happened layer by layer. It gives us hope that if land, so altered, could begin to recover, perhaps other damage we've done to our dear Earth can heal too. The same is true in our own lives. 

Mary Stone  03:51

Another highlight of the year invited us into a world many of us overlook entirely in Episode 217, Moth Surveying in a New Jersey Mountain Meadow. We gathered after dark to celebrate creatures that don't often get the spotlight. Moths, so often dismissed, revealed themselves as intricate, beautiful, and essential. I love describing moths as butterflies that like to party at night, and what a party. It was hosted by my friend, Blaine Rothhauser, of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. He's also a stunning photographer, and we love his images, don't we? And the event took place at the mountain meadow of my buddy Dennis Briede up the road a piece. Sheets were lit. Moths arrived in dazzling variety, and suddenly the darkness felt alive. Listeners told me that the episode reminded them that beauty doesn't always show up in the daylight or on a preferred schedule. Sometimes, wonder waits until you slow down enough to stay up late.

Mary Stone  04:57

In the midst of all these stories, we also marked a Milestone in Our Journey Together. Episode 200. That episode wasn't just a number. It was a moment to acknowledge how far this conversation has traveled, from garden tips and observations in Nature to a shared exploration of life's rhythms, losses, delights and discoveries. 200 episodes of listening, reflecting, learning, and growing together, a celebration of gratitude for our growing community. Thanks to you. 

Mary Stone  05:27

If there were one invitation woven through nearly every story this year, it was slow down. Look closer. Trust what you can't see. We spent a lot of time talking about healthy soil, fungi and the unseen networks beneath our feet. But as gardeners and lovers of all things green, we know soil is never just soil, its foundation, its memory, its potential. 

Mary Stone  05:56

One episode, many of you reached out about was "Lessons from a Late No-Till Garden." On the surface, it was a story about letting vegetables linger, leaving roots undisturbed, and resisting the urge to clean up everything. But what it opened into was something much bigger. It helps us to step back to other areas of life, too, relationships, work, healing, places where we may have been trying to force clarity or outcomes before their time. Sometimes growth doesn't need more effort. It needs more trust. 

Mary Stone  06:29

The lesson echoed many times throughout the year. We talked about leaving leaves for wildlife, letting seed heads stand, allowing gardens to look messy, and discovering that messy is often where life thrives. Listeners shared that these stories gave them permission, not just in the garden, but in their lives, permission to stop striving, permission to rest without guilt, permission to leave some things unfinished. Nature doesn't rush. After all, Nature doesn't apologize for dormancy. Nature trusts cycles, and many of us are learning to trust them too. 

Mary Stone  07:08

Another theme that surfaced this year was connection: with neighbors and fellow gardeners, with conservationists and longtime friends, and with bird flocking. The stories kept pointing to the same truth: nothing thrives alone. We explored how plants communicate below the soil, how forests share resources, and how gardens, like communities, are strengthened by diversity and cooperation. It reminds us to reconnect, to check in on a neighbor, to appreciate the quiet helpers in your life. Some of you shared the episode with loved ones, saying, This made me think of you, and that makes me smile. Thank you for helping me spread the word about how gardens and Nature help heal and grow our lives. 

Mary Stone  07:56

As we close this year, I want to share something personal. Like many of you, I'm standing in a season of transition, and recently, while navigating a difficult life change, a reframe came to me, one deeply grounded in garden, Nature, and wisdom. I'd like to offer it to you in case it may resonate with changes going on in your lives. An ending of a relationship or a friendship isn't abandonment. It's transplanting. Some roots can't share the same soil anymore. That doesn't make the years together meaningless. It means the season changed in the garden. We understand this instinctively. Not every plant thrives forever in the same place. Sometimes conditions shift. Sometimes growth demands space, and when we transplant, it's not a failure; it's care. Life asks the same of us. 

Mary Stone  08:54

As we step into a new year, my hope is that you carry these lessons with you. When fear arises, get curious. When healing feels slow, trust the process. When beauty appears unexpectedly, stay a while. Let rest be a part of growth, not a reward for exhaustion. Honor what was without clinging to what's no longer sustainable. And remember, you are part of a living system with Nature designed for renewal. Thank you for reading the blog and for listening and writing and sharing, and reflecting alongside me in this Garden of Life is richer because of you in it, and I am grateful to be part of the journey with you. Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com. 

Mary Stone  09:44

I have an update on Ellie's Memorial Tree. Yesterday, while the snow was falling, I went out there with the outdoor ornaments to match the red and white topper that I had already placed on the tree. I think you may remember that I wasn't sure if I was going to put those on because I thought I needed to keep that deer netting intact, not knowing if the buck was going to come back and do more damage. But I decided to take the risk. Besides, perhaps the ornaments would deter the deer. I hung them carefully and then considered re-wrapping the tree. But hey, let's live on the edge of hope that he won't come back, which is not on the edge at all, because hope is not living on the edge. It's living in the positive energy of what can be. 

Mary Stone  10:30

I adore looking at her from the library where I sit each morning and write. It's my Christmas tree this year because I decided not to put one up inside, although I did decorate the house. Ellie's tree is like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. There is beauty in its damaged state and a promise of new growth to come, just like in the new year to come. So, thank you, my kind listeners, for all that you've given me in terms of growth and feedback and just kindness. Really, the more kindness we spread amongst each other, the more that will grow in the world around us. So, remember that as you approach the new year. Every day is a new year when you think about it. Every day has promise, and I wish all of it to be a beautiful gift to you. See you next time on the screen porch. 

Mary Stone  11:21

You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook, online at GardenDilemmas.com, and on Instagram at the hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch and always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.