The Language of the Garden: Spring in the Grove

There is a specific kind of magic that happens in an Orlando garden as we transition into the deeper warmth of spring. While the rest of the world might just be seeing their first sprouts, our "grove" is alive with the hum of bees and the steady, rhythmic clucking of the chickens in the yard.

In this season of Blooms, the garden isn't just a place to grow food—it’s a sanctuary. It’s where homeschooling lessons move outside under the shade of a tree, and where the "apothecary shelf" in my kitchen finds its fresh inspirations.

What’s Flowering Now

Right now, the garden is offering up its first true show. We are seeing:

• The Pollinator Parade: The wildflowers are in full swing, inviting the local bees to help us with the citrus and vegetable starts.

• Healing Herbs: My apothecary jars are waiting for the first harvests of lavender and rosemary—staples for both our home remedies and our sourdough infusions.

• Farm-Fresh Gold: Our chickens are especially active this month, enjoying the clover and greens. There’s nothing quite like the deep orange yolks of spring eggs to pair with a fresh slice of toasted Einkorn bread.

Lessons in the Dirt

One of the greatest joys of this "handmade life" is watching my daughter discover the science of a seed. We’ve spent our Monday mornings tracking the progress of our heirloom tomatoes, turning a simple gardening chore into a masterclass in patience and biology.

In the garden, just like with a sourdough starter, you can’t rush the process. You can only provide the right environment—the good soil, the water, and the sun—and then wait for the beauty to unfold.

Cultivating Your Own Space

You don’t need a vast acreage to find your "blooms." Whether it’s a single pot of basil on a sunny windowsill or a dedicated backyard patch, there is a deep sense of belonging that comes from tending to something living.

As the sun sets over the grove tonight, I’m reminded that we are all just like these plants—reaching for the light and blooming exactly when we are meant to.

What is blooming in your corner of the world this week?

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Flourish Your Kitchen

• Ready to grow your own? Follow my step-by-step Sourdough Starter Guide to capture the wild yeast in your own home.

• Want a head start? If you’d prefer to skip the first week and start with a mature, resilient culture, you can find my Organic Dehydrated Sourdough Starter over at the Loaves & Groves Etsy Shop. It’s the very same heirloom starter I use in my kitchen every day, carefully preserved and ready to wake up in yours.