Rashida considered herself a newbie plant mama and I was blown away! I admire her perspective on how gardening reflects our spirit and was floored when this queen submitted her plant mama story. Check out how Rashida balance her spirit with earth and her plants below!
What inspired you to start your garden?
I tried urban gardening when I lived in Chicago. Those winters were brutal for us all! Then I moved to SoCal and it’s been much easier! I love green space. I’m an Earth sign (Taurus) and need to connect with the Earth. I try to keep my hands in soil at home and away from home. I recently adopted a desert garden at a local public botanic garden. It’s a large, multilayered plot of land in which I can practice horticulture and sculpt a meditative space for others. My botanic garden will take months to cultivate. Afterwards (or simultaneously) I plan to start a medicinal herb garden.
What does being a plant mama do for you? Is it a form of self care? Coping method?
Gardening produces life. I find symbiotic peace in nurturing, growing, and caring for plants. My kale gives me life! The lavender is useful for everything from teas to clearing negative energy when I smudge with sage. I use plants in my spiritual practice, which is part of my self care ritual and a daily coping method. I am constantly learning; continuing education is also part of my self care.
What do you love the most about gardening?
The vivid colors. The leaf variations. Finding out my plants’ “backstory.” Origins are culturally and equally important for people and plants. I love exploring plants and herbs potential. I love knowing which plants goes where (more or less sunshine) and what can be grown together (roses and garlic). In my adopted garden, I’m starting to understand which plants are toxic, which contain poison, which retain water, and which are just really pretty weeds. Gardening unites art and science.
What do you dislike the most about gardening?
1. My cat ate all of my strawberry plants. 2. Spider mites invade my outdoor plants 3. The wildlife is not playing around in my adopted garden.
What do you struggle the most with in your garden or gardening in general?
I struggle to find places for beautiful, nontoxic plants to receive sunlight and not be eaten by my cat. I also struggle to find humane ways to get gophers, chipmunks, possums, and other animals to move on. The holes they make are hazardous to visiting children, among other cautions. It’s also difficult to know whether something is over or under watered until it shows you. I’m still trying to get that right.
Tell us something unique and different about you and your garden.
I am a mental health clinician and musician who designs self care jewelry (essensualsbykhemura.com). I use my herbs and the soil for spiritual practices, as a grounding tool when I experience vicarious trauma from my clients. I play my harp in my garden for my ancestors and spirit guides. I also believe music benefits plants. We’re all connected, every life form.
She’s amazing, right?!? You can find Rashida on Instagram @Shida_be and/or @khemura.meketira