When our team arrives for a workday at the Salvation Army gardens, we never quite know what awaits us. Some days we discover that part of a bed has been dug up to repair a sewer line. Other days we find that the irrigation was accidentally switched off, or that a tiny bird has built a nest deep in the Vitex bush.

But far more often, we’re greeted by something wonderful — flowers blooming with such enthusiasm that they stop us in our tracks.

Right now, the gardens are bursting with color. Clasping coneflowers sway in the breeze, daylilies in every shade are opening by the dozens, and the bright orange native milkweed is glowing like a beacon for passing pollinators. Our hot‑pink Rose of Sharon is showing off, the pure white ‘Diana’ Rose of Sharon is luminous in the morning light, and the iridescent orange cosmos look as if they’ve been painted with sunlight.

And then there are the surprises — like the native bee balm blooming right in the center of a lone bluebonnet that somehow planted itself in the middle of the basketball court. Nature has a sense of humor, and this garden lets us witness it.

It’s a beautiful time of year for gardens everywhere, and these gardens are no exception. But what makes this place truly special is not just the flowers — it’s the people. The best moments

are when residents or staff stop to tell us how much the gardens mean to them, or when they pause to ask questions about the plants.

Just last week, a gentleman stopped to admire the pure white Diana Rose of Sharon and stayed to talk with us about the garden. Encounters like that — simple, genuine, and full of curiosity — are what make every hour of hard work worthwhile.

The gardens bloom, but so does the connection they create. And that is the real reward