Prayer is a skill. By definition a way of connecting, it takes gardening beyond mere techniques of transplanting or preparing the soil. It brings Spirit, God, the Divine into the daily movements of hands and feet.

You're skeptical? Of course. But you wouldn't expect to find Olympic track performance from a random selection of people off the street, so why conclude that the same level of performance in prayer is impossible simply because you haven't encountered it? As with anything else, talent plays a part. But hard work, training and experience are essential.

In Scotland, a hundred and fifty years ago and more, prayers were sung while the people worked. In many Native American traditions, songs are prayers. In both, prayers accompanied every part of daily life, a weaving of soul-work and physical work into a life of wholeness.

Now, how do you apply prayer in a garden? One of the easiest is thankfulness, the prayer of simple wonder and appreciation for the beauty of petals and intricately veined leaves. Another prayer without complications is a blessing, a wish for the presence of Divinity to bring life and happiness into the garden and into each of its inhabitants.

We usually stumble over the prayers for help and healing, wondering about what exactly they're addressed to, whether or not they're effective, and if we really merit any aid after all the mistakes we've made. Here, honesty is best. Putting our own failings and our neglect of the garden "on the table" is a good way to preface any requests for assistance. The more deeply honest we can be, the more deeply rewarded we will be.