Jian's Garden — Summer Dahlias

One Yellow Flower, A Lifetime of Joy

By Dr. Jian Zhang

Every garden has a beginning.

Mine began with a single yellow dahlia.

When I was a junior high school student living in the school dormitory in rural Guangdong, one of our teachers planted several dahlias in the schoolyard. It was the first time I had ever seen them. Standing by the dormitory window, I couldn't help but say, "The flowers are so beautiful!"

The teacher smiled, cut one yellow dahlia, and handed it to me.

It was the first flower anyone had ever given me.

I found a small bottle, placed the flower inside, and unknowingly created my very first flower

arrangement. Although it was only one flower, it was the most beautiful arrangement I had ever seen.

I never imagined that moment would stay with me for the rest of my life.

For decades, I admired flowers but never believed I could grow them. Gardening seemed like a gift reserved for others.

Then came COVID-19.

During Shelter-in-Place, while leading Chinese Hospital through one of the most challenging

periods in its history, I needed a way to stay grounded. Many days after work I made

international phone calls wearing headphones while planting, pruning, or watering in the garden to seek PPE and conducted all kinds of meetings.

Gardening became my therapy.

It quieted my mind while reminding me that even during difficult times, life continues to grow.

I started with more than thirty varieties of lavender, then gradually added over fifteen varieties of dahlias.

Every summer, Jian's Garden becomes a living art gallery.

Each morning brings new blooms—yellow, pink, coral, burgundy, purple, white, and countless combinations of color. No two flowers are exactly alike.

Like people, every dahlia has its own beauty and personality.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was discovering that I actually have green thumbs.

Sometimes life reveals talents we never knew we had.

Working in the garden has also become a way to integrate life and work.

My husband, Sean, does all the hard work—building the raised beds, digging the soil, fertilizing, and other tasks per my request while our gardener maintaining the lawn and fruit trees.

I get to enjoy the creative side.

I choose the flowers, plant them, arrange fresh bouquets throughout our home, and photograph them almost every day because every walk through the garden brings another surprise.

The garden is never the same twice.

One of our favorite traditions is our afternoon happy hour in the garden. After work, we sit

besides the fireplace among the flowers, enjoying a drink, talking about our day, our family, and our dreams—or simply enjoying the quiet beauty around us. We spend more time in the garden since my retirement.

Some of life's happiest moments don't require traveling far.

Sometimes they are waiting just outside the back door.

Today, whenever I see a yellow dahlia, I think about the teacher who gave one flower to an

excited young student.

He probably never realized that one small act of kindness would blossom into a lifelong love of gardening.

Leadership taught me how to build organizations.

Jian's Garden is teaching me how to build a life.

Every flower blooms in its own season.

Every person does too.

— Dr. Jian Zhang

~~~

建清花园——夏日大丽花

一朵黄花，一生花缘

每一座花园，都有一个开始。

我的花园，始于一朵黄色的大丽花。

初中住校时，一位老师在校园里种了几株大丽花。那是我第一次见到这种花，我忍不住站

在宿舍窗口喊了一句："这花太漂亮了！"

老师笑着剪下一朵黄色的大丽花，递给了我。

那是我人生第一次收到鲜花。

我找来一个小瓶子，把花插进去。现在回想起来，那就是我人生第一次插花。虽然只有一

朵，却是我见过最美的作品。

几十年过去了，那朵黄色的大丽花一直留在我的记忆里。

后来很多年，我只是欣赏花，却从未想过自己能种花。

直到新冠疫情。

居家令期间，我一边领导中华医院抗击疫情，一边戴着耳机开会，在花园里种花、修枝、

浇水。

园艺成了我的疗愈。

它让我在最忙碌、最困难的日子里，重新找到内心的平静。

我先种了三十多个品种的薰衣草，后来又种了十五个以上品种的大丽花。

每到夏天，建清花园便成了一个小小的花展。

黄色、粉色、橙色、紫色、酒红色、白色……

每天都会有新的花绽放。

没有两朵花完全相同，就像没有两个人完全一样。

更让我惊喜的是，我发现自己原来也有"绿手指"。

人生很多天赋，只是在等待一个合适的季节。

建清花园也成为我和先生共同经营的空间。

先生负责所有最辛苦的工作——建花床、翻土、施肥、维护花园。園丁割草並修剪樹木。

我负责选花、种花、剪花、插花、拍花。

几乎每天走进花园，都能发现新的惊喜。

傍晚，我们常常坐在花园里享受属于自己的 Happy Hour。

一杯饮品，两人坐在火爐桌旁，鲜花环绕。

聊聊工作、家庭，或者只是静静欣赏夕阳。

幸福，有时候就在家门口。

每当看到黄色的大丽花，我都会想起那位送我花的老师。

也许他早已忘记那一刻。

但我从未忘记。

一朵花，可以改变一个人的一生。

领导力教会我建设组织。

而建清花园，正在教会我经营人生。

花有花期，人有人生。