I don’t know about you, but I found myself craving to create something new during this pandemic these last five months, a place where the “noise” stops and letting go and listening could begin. Personally, I find when I’m in the good company of flowers and trees I can actually relax, reflect, and experience tranquility. Ideas and creativity flow, fear and tension melt away!

We have a little place on the side of our house and I felt it could become a magical place to dine and be amongst nature and that’s exactly what it became. It started with a few orange trees, geraniums and a small bistro set I found on amazon. Shortly after lockdown, I begin to make daily trips to Anawalt, which is right up the street from me…well, sometimes twice a day. At the time nothing was really open and I would get so excited to see what new plants arrived….ahhh the little things that bring such joy. My son would go with me and help pick out flowers, and garden tools. We also bought ladybugs and hatched a few hundred praying mantis’s, and after a few weeks, we saw tiny babies running up and down the wall. On August 4th, we found our first big one (see below) and now we’ve spotted a few more. We also added an outdoor speaker so our flower friends could listen to classical jazz, and Hawaiian music… I swear they love it! My husband and I enjoy our “negroni time” on Friday nights and together we sit and run down a checklist, share our visions, and talk about how grateful we are for each day.

Why you might want the Praying Mantis for your garden: They eat larger insects, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and other pest insects and they’re super stealth looking! Let’s talk Ladybugs: A ladybug is not only cute ladybugs are a good sign because it can mean fewer problems from pests, particularly the dreaded aphids. Aphids feed on plant tissues and can also transmit viruses to plants, but an adult ladybug may consume hundreds of aphids a day!

The Five-Minute Journal has been a life-changer for me personally. All you need is 5 minutes in the morning and evening. I’ve always been a firm believer thoughts become things and a written word has more power than we can imagine. So that’s exactly what I do, write what I’m grateful for, and write what I imagine my life can become.

We’ve planted several roses and I haven’t had the best of luck but I’m learning as I go. Since our roses are on the side of the house with not a lot of morning sun they require a little more TLC. Roses need at least 6 hours of sun a day. Roses for beginners If you love roses, are you familiar with David Austin Known as the rose expert and for his English gardens since 1961. If you love the fragrance of a fresh rose my favorite is from Lacrème Beauté it’s an all-natural gorgeous scent!

Off in the distance is my Quan Yin statue I’ve had since 1998. I found her at a garden store in San Diego when I lived there while filming Silk Stalkings. She’s been around for a while now and I always have a feeling of strength. Now, wherever we go, she goes.

The One with a Motherly Compassion, She who Hears the Cries of the People are the Quan Yin's attributes. A great protector and benefactor, her heart is full of deep compassion and unconditional love; her energy is God-like. As such, Quan Yin is welcomed in many feng shui applications. Due to her commitment to helping humans, she is approached with any concerns, troubles, or worries. Be it family, career, health, or relationships, no trouble is too big to be brought to the motherly and all-powerful energy of Quan Yin.

If you haven’t already created a sacred space in or outside your home I highly recommend doing so. I’ve learned so much about flowers and myself from the very beginning stages. My husband Derek is a big gardener, his daily meditation begins with a water hose and he loves it!

*Did you know all centenarians have 1 thing in common? If you answered gardening you’re right! So get gardening…it’s good for the soul!

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