Margarita+The Giving Gardens=Pure Joy

Meet Margarita Pichardo. She owns one of the very first Habitat for Humanity homes that The Giving Gardens landscaped. Margarita was given a gift five years ago and just look what she has done with it ( see photos below).


Many people ask me why I continue with The Giving Gardens because it’s A LOT of work. My answer is simple, pure joy. How often in your life are you blindsided by joy? Joy that’s a fleeting and unexpected gift presented not by your family or friends but by complete strangers? Funny thing is that I am the one who’s supposed to be doing the giving, thus the name…”The Giving Gardens”, but time after time I am the one receiving…JOY.

Today I had the pleasure of delivering more gifts to Margarita; a “yellow submarine” rose bush from the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C. and a collection of unique daylilies from the Grand Valley Daylily Society. It was a beautiful day, and I had a tour of a gorgeous garden from a lovely gardener. What a wonderful way to wrap up a work day! Again, pure JOY!!

Margarita’s Garden Today

Margarita & Me on Installation Day in June of 2005

Many Monarch Butterflies Were Working Her Butterfly Bushes

Basil in the Kitchen Garden

More Edibles- Eggplant and Peppers

Morning Glories Cover the Back Porch

Mixed Boarder

Margarita Harvesting Cosmos Seeds for Next Year’s Garden

Thank you Margarita for all of your hard work and for your offer to Plant-it-Forward next year! The Giving Gardens grows!!!