New Season, New Opportunities

Every season presents new opportunities for each of us and this is not different from how different plants thrive in different seasons.

I had the privilege to visit a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) kitchen garden and was amazed at the varieties of plants, flowers and herbs there. The dedicated and highly skilled gardeners talked passionately about their craft. I wanted to know what would be in season in October and they shared their thoughts.

Some plants were on their way out and one could tell from the wilting of the leaves whilst others were starting to boom and I was assured they would be ready for when I needed them. They knew exactly what each season had to offer. A lot of energy, commitment, planning and execution went in to achieve their desired outcomes for each plant bed.

They showed me apple trees that were already three years old and had another four years to go before they could expect any fruits from them representing seven years of consistent and patient investment.  As I walked away, I couldn’t help but reflect on the lessons that I had gleaned from the visit.

What about us? What opportunities are being presented to us each day and in each season of our lives?

To everything, there’s a season

There’s a season for everyone and for everything. Some seasons are effortless and some require a lot of effort, some seasons are for sowing while others are for reaping. In some seasons, new lives are born and in others, people are laid to rest.

The key thing is the seasons change and each change presents an opportunity for something new – a new plant or a new you. We have to leverage the opportunities of each new season.

The right season isn’t enough

Just because a plant is in the right season doesn’t mean it will naturally do well. There are still other conditions that have to be met. I saw some lovely strawberries which reminded me of my own strawberry bush.

Whilst theirs were vibrant, mine wasn’t simply because I am not around to tend to it and water it everyday. So we must ask the question, are we blooming during our right seasons and if not, what is missing?

We must identify all the conditions that are necessary for blooming and apply them during each ‘right’ season if we want to get the expected results

Be patient and consistent

There were plants that needed nurturing for years before any returns on investment are seen. This is not an easy thing to do. In the first year of feeding and watering the seeds, there is a good chance that there wasn’t even a bud in sight.

It’s important to have a consistent approach to investing in ourselves and others even when we can’t immediately see the evidence of the expected results. Some things simple need time.

Consider the power of associations

Some plant beds had other plants that could thrive by association so the gardeners co-located them on the same plot knowing they would thrive together. In the same way, there are associations and relationships that will help us to thrive in each season while others could be detrimental to our growth.

We need to figure them out and take needed actions.

Prepare for the unexpected

Prepare for the unexpected

This year, we have had extreme heat in the UK which has affected the soil conditions and the viability of plants so more has to be done by the keen gardener if they want to get the same harvest as other times when there was rain and temperatures were as expected.

Gardeners stay informed about the weather conditions and they will change other conditions as needed including removing plants from sun rooms, watering more frequently or moving plants to shaded areas in response to the weather conditions.

Same applies to us, we must be informed and prepared for the unexpected curve balls so we can adapt our responses to still get our desired results.

In closing, I am excited to share about some news with you all. On the back of my recent MasterChef UK journey, I have just created my new websites showcasing some developments in my latest season. Please check them out and where appropriate, subscribe for more news. Check out www.olayemiadelekan.com and www.yummybydesign.co.uk for what is new and upcoming.

Thank you for all your amazing support to date and see you next week.