Failure is Fertilizer

Cynthia Brian
10 minutes ago
4 min read

“Failure is fertilizer. Throw your mistakes on the compost pile and grow a new garden.” Cynthia Brian

Summer can be a challenging time for gardening. It’s hot for both plants and humans. Pests and diseases increase. Frequent, deep watering is essential, but overwatering can also cause problems. Weeds devour nutrients from cultivated saplings. Garden fatigue sets in as our gardens look less lovely. Is it time to throw in the trowel?

Like any gardener, I get frustrated by flops and fiascos. Long ago, as botanical disasters mounted, I coined a phrase, “failure is fertilizer.” All my missteps and messes end up on the compost pile to help a new area succeed. I have used my quote for every area of my life as lessons are learned.

Recently, I planted three expensive peonies, but only two survived. The gate was left open to my rose garden, and the marauding deer helped themselves to dinner. The wild turkeys dug up all my echinacea except for one, which was hiding underneath small fig leaves.

Despite growing several zucchini plants, I have had no zucchini because as soon as a flower appears, a resident skunk and raccoon battle for the bite. With sadness, but not defeat, I chant my mantra, “failure is fertilizer”.

I have come to embrace my very imperfect garden. Although I admire beauty, symmetry, textures, colors, fragrances, and an endless array of blooms, I have reconciled with the fact that, although I strive for excellence in all things, perfection will not be achieved. Instead, I create joy in the scruffy spaces, marveling at the insects, birds, lizards, frogs, spiders, and other creatures that call my landscape home. When we permit ourselves to incorporate failure into our lexicon, we open a world of common sense. Some plants will die. Critters will eat our daisies. Snails will devour lettuce. Lawns will turn brown.

My garden is constantly evolving. Some specimens grow beautifully. Others don’t grow the way I envisioned, and still others die and disappear. This is where failure and fertilizer merge. Instead of lamenting what doesn’t work, I appreciate the compost. Patience and grace are requirements of any gardener. One cannot rush a turnip.

Bougainvillea, hollyhocks, and magnolia flowers have been putting on a show this summer. Tomatoes entwine with Jacobina and crocosmia in a planter while basil grows in nearby pots.

After the nigella, sunflowers, calendula, and poppies finished blooming and I cut them to the ground, my garden looked sullen and sad. Within a few days of the hot weather, the Naked Ladies sprang to life, turning the landscape and hillside into a spectacular sea of undulating pink lilies. Every day, I celebrate the glorious spectacle that erupted as if overnight.

In the fall, their faces will fade, and the stalks will turn into ugly, flowerless stems. It will take me several days to chop them down to begin the circle of life once again through composting.

It is pear season, and I thought you might enjoy my family’s poached pear recipe. Growing up on our farm, our family grew a variety of fruits and vegetables. Our vineyards boasted several grape varietals, including Zinfandel. Our Italian-style of cooking never included measurements. It was a little of this and a pinch of that as we tasted and improvised, with wine as an essential ingredient.

This is a simple, straightforward, and delicious way to poach pears. Adjust this recipe with other spices or ingredients as you wish.

Zinfandel Poached Pears

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 60-80 minutes

Serves:16

Ingredients

8 Bartlett Pears with stems

1 cup water

1 bottle Zinfandel wine

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

zest of 2 tangerines or 1 orange

juice of 2 tangerines or 1orange

4 cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

2 star anise

Spearmint leaves

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

*In a pot, stir and simmer together water, wine, sugar, vanilla, citrus, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise until sugar is dissolved.

*Peel the pears, leaving the stems on each pear.

*From the bottom of each pear, hollow out the core and seeds with a small spoon.

*Place whole pears with the stems in the large pot with the wine and spice liquid.

*Cover the pot with foil and place it on the lowest rack in the oven.

*Cook for 60-80 minutes or until pears are tender, yet firm.

*Remove from oven and allow pears to cool in the poaching liquid.

*Once cooled, slice pears in half and arrange on a platter.

*Return pot with poaching liquid to stovetop on medium heat. Stir and reduce the liquid until it is syrupy.

*Pour hot Zinfandel-spiced syrup over pears. Garnish with spearmint leaves.

*Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or with whipped cream.

Suggestion

The recipe can be adjusted for fewer servings. If you prefer, Cabernet Sauvignon or even Brandy may be substituted for the Zinfandel wine. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

My recipe is also published in Moraga’s 50^th Anniversary Community Cookbook. You can't go wrong. Remember that failure is fertilizer and “malfatti” is always welcome!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

On Saturday, September 27, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, join Be the Star You Are!® at the 2025 Pear and Wine Festival for a fun day of music, food, art, crafts, contests, play, activities, pear pies, and drinks. Come get FREE seeds from me. Thanks to the Lamorinda Weekly, M.B. Jessee Painting, and StarStyle® Productions, LLC for booth sponsoring. https://

www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/2025-pear-and-wine-festival

If you need help around your house or garden to fix the failures, check out the Honey Homes service. If it’s in your area, you will be so happy.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing!

For more seasonal gardening tips and inspiration, grab a copy of Growing with the Goddess Gardener at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/books. Raised in Napa County vineyards, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach, as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3, named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year by the Moraga Chamber of Commerce. https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org

Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at https://www.StarStyleRadio.com. Her best-selling children’s series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures, is available at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store. Book Four, Flap Forward, Fly Free is published NOW at a pre-sale discount.