Memorial Garden and the Rainbow Chronicles
A memorial garden helps you remember those who have gone before you and those who are living with you now. It helps you remember.
The Hope Patch is a special garden found in Chapter 7 of the inspirational family story, The Rainbow Chronicles. Kellin, who created and nutured the Hope Patch, is the only woman gardener in the Royal Guild of Gardeners in the land of Neer’stazone.
In the story, all of the gardeners in the Royal Guild committed to growing exact replicas of flowers that had the same shape, number of petals and the same colors. Kellin was different, though. She cultivated a secret garden, hidden in the Forbidden Bog, with hundreds of different flowers of different shapes, sizes and colors.
By planting the Hope Patch, Kellin defied the Code of Uniformity and stood for the beauty of diversity, something better for her life and the lives of others. The Hope Patch stood against conforming to the unreasonable measures of those in power who sought to control and dominate the thinking and imagination of people.
In the story, Kellin shared the Hope Patch with the chief gardener, Bilnot, who was mired in the belief that all flowers were to be alike. Kellin invited Bilnot to visit the Hope Patch and see the vast diversity of colors and blooming plants.
After his initial resistance, Bilnot agreed to meet Kellin and visit her Hope Patch the next day. When Bilnot arrived at the rendezvous point, Kellin was not there, however she left a note and a map for him. Bilnot read the note and followed the map and discovered Kellin’s secret garden.
He was amazed at what he saw. After wandering through the Hope Patch, Bilnot suddenly remembered his past and recalled how he had once been like Kellin. Bilnot then began harvesting seeds and bulbs before he staggered through the Forbidden Bog to return home. An amazing sequence of events followed, which resulted in transformation of the two lands in the story.
In real life, a Hope Patch is a metaphor, a symbol of how the human spirit aspires for beauty and variety in the midst of plainness. The Hope Patch expresses the wishes and desires for something better, more lovely. For every garden that builds upon the beauty of diversity, there is a Hope Patch in the making.
At a recent conference sponsored by Glaser-Kennedy Inner Circle, Jim McCann, the CEO of 1800Flowers, told the story of how a garden of tomatoes helped a sullen teen living in a group home to find hope. Jim began planting tomatoes at the home one afternoon.
At first, the teen challenged and mocked him. Eventually the teen began bringing supplies and plants, and eventually took over the garden, used the tomatoes and lettuce for his sandwiches and sold them to the other teens in the group home. Hope was born in the heart of that kid.
Gardening offers a connection with the spiritual dimension of life through nature. No matter what area a person lives in, a simple garden, whether of vegetables or flowers, can be planted as a Hope Patch for greater beauty and peace.
Other Articles on Memorial Gifts
Gardening Diversity in Your Memorial Gardens
How to Choose Flower Seeds and Bulbs for Your Memorial Gardens
Planting Purple Tulip Bulbs in Your Memorial Garden
Plant a TreeGiver Memorial Gift for Your Loved Ones
Use Garden Stones in Your Memorial Garden
Create a Remembrance Garden from Your Hope Patch
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