How Green Is My Garden

I made this embroidery for a Textiles/Needlework college course, a decade or two ago, and it’s travelled with me ever since, from my original home in Manchester UK, to London, then Miami, Florida and now Stone Mountain, Georgia. It hangs above my desk in my now remote office.

So, to answer the question literally, I can say my garden is very green right now, thanks to April’s sunshine and showers. When I’m not out to sea my favorite place to be is tending to my plants, herbs, roses and vegetables. (Note that for an English person a garden is not just for vegetables, it encompasses all aspects of an American ‘yard’) but let’s be honest ‘How Green is My Yard’ just doesn’t have the same whimsy now does it?!

Out in my garden I am truly energized, I do my best thinking and problem solving, and I’ve learned so much about life and about myself while I’ve been out there. The analogies are endless, but perhaps more importantly for me I’ve learned skills which I think everyone in a leadership role needs. Not least patience, nurturing, a willingness to try things that may or may not work, hope for the future, and the perseverance to ‘dig in,’ (pardon the pun) understand the why, and adapt accordingly.

Fortunately for me, my role at Sixthman affords me the chance to balance both my great loves of sailing the world’s oceans and then coming home to my garden. The climate in Georgia is not so different to Manchester so I can grow some old favorites from my childhood. You already know if you’ve sailed with us, that the Sixthman team is an awe-inspiring group of individuals, who together can weather any storm. So yes, I can definitely say my actual, and my proverbial gardens are both green with hope for a rosy future.

-Sarah Rio