oday is an important day in the life of a gardener. You see, yesterday was the shortest day of the year and every day from this morning forward is longer, brighter and closer to true spring and putting our hands in the soil.

A group of us celebrated that equinox last night and filled our island Lodge. We laughed, hugged, danced, ate and enjoyed each other's company around this short night. We celebrated the change in season in a way that had us all laughing more than is normal (even on our small island). It was a grand night.

And yes, for the curious, the Lodge was full of friends and neighbours of different religions, political parties, sexual preferences, sexes, ages and even, dare I say it, levels of gardening ability.

I suggest you consider gardening is rather like this equinox. It has the capacity to bring us together as people no matter our religion, race, or any other difference you can think of.

As gardeners, I suspect we share far more things that bring us together than things to divide us.

We share a love of beauty, of nature, of living things, of the joy of working with Mother Nature and even a desire for challenges beyond our current abilities.

Gardening, like all religions, is really about love.

So my friends, I want to wish you the best of this gardening year. I want to thank you for staying with me as I share my journey towards having a good garden and learning from it.

Above all, I want to wish you a great gardening journey as the days lengthen and light returns to our world.

However you celebrate this return of light or season, Mayo and I share a wish that you are able to delight in the simple gifts of life for this coming gardening year.