Hansheng Lee

         Art                 Food                 Garden               ACI

Meandering  Garden

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I have no intention of glamorizing gardening—or anything else I ever talk about. Gardening is hard work. It’s a constant dance between effort and adaptation, and I use what I have, what I can get my hands on, and what I can afford. Some parts of my garden are still in progress, wild and unpolished, while other areas have found their rhythm and calm. You’ll see black tubs with holes cut out, soy sauce buckets reused for fermenting fertilizer, and makeshift setups that lean more practical than pretty—but they get the job done. For me, it’s also about recycling, reusing, and respecting what already exists. This space isn’t curated for perfection—it’s lived in, worked in, and deeply loved.

 

This garden grew out of memories: growing vegetables with my grandmother, learning flowers from my mother, and finding peace in soil when the world feels too loud. It’s a place where I nurture life, beauty, and food with my own two hands. You’ll find native plants mingling with heirloom vegetables, roses blooming beside medicinal herbs, and an ever-evolving balance of permaculture and personal experimentation. I also want to give credit to my husband, Chris, who shares in the care and design—especially the ever-growing rose collection that we’ve built together with love and patience.

 

There’s always something changing, something blooming, and something learning to grow again—just like me.

The garden is one of my oldest and truest places of connection—a space where memory, nature, and nourishment come together in bloom and root. It’s never perfect, and that’s exactly the point. Here you’ll find seasonal updates, snapshots of what’s growing, what’s fading, and what’s feeding us—visually and literally. From heirloom vegetables to pollinator havens, roses to reused soy sauce buckets, this space reflects my belief that beauty and function can (and should) coexist. Gardening, for me, is about reclaiming time, healing through rhythm, and working with what’s available. It’s slow art, in soil.

The summer crescendo is here.

 

July in the garden is a full symphony—color, scent, and flavor all colliding in the best possible way. It’s the season where everything feels like it’s in motion: blooms are bursting, bees are everywhere, and I’m constantly moving between the flower beds and the vegetable garden with clippers in one hand and a harvest basket in the other.

 

Blooms, Fragrance, and the Glory of Color

Right now, the garden is in one of its most beautiful stages. Agapanthus are blooming tall and proud, their cool purple-blue clusters standing like fireworks against the heat. The perfume lilies are stealing the spotlight with their rich scent that stops you in your tracks (and honestly, makes it really hard to leave the garden). Alongside them, tiger lilies are wild and bold—fiery bursts that demand attention and get it.

 

Vervain is weaving its way quietly through, adding soft color and movement, while amarines glow like little summer gems. And then there’s cleome—one of those plants that always makes me stop and smile. It’s like nature’s own firework, spindly and strange in the best way.

 

This time of year, walking through the garden feels like entering another world. It’s chaotic, yes, but also deeply grounding.

 

Vegetable Garden Update

On the edible side of things, July marks a bit of a shift. The sugar snap peas and arugula have both been pulled—having done their part earlier in the season. I saved seeds from each, tucked away safely for next spring. It’s always a little bittersweet saying goodbye to spring greens, but the summer crops are more than making up for it.

The tomatoes have started rolling in, and it’s officially the season of tomato sandwiches, caprese everything, and the annual how do I preserve all of these scramble. The bush beans have been producing steadily for weeks now—bright green and crisp, easy to harvest and even easier to eat. And then there are the shishito peppers, which are going absolutely wild. I’m not mad about it.

 

The Joy in the Chaos

This part of the season is always a little overwhelming in the best way. There’s constant growth, constant tending, and honestly? Constant weeding. But there’s also joy—watching the garden change day by day, seeing what’s thriving, what needs help, and what new bloom or fruit has snuck in overnight. (Even if the heat has been a bit ridiculous.)

 

It's not perfect (no garden ever is), but it's alive. And that, in itself, is something worth pausing for.

 

Until next time—stay hydrated, check your tomatoes often, and don’t forget to stop and smell the lilies. Literally.