Rooted for the Ones Passing Through

By Josh Singleton | Founder, The Neighborhood Garden Project

What if a flower could show us how to offer rest to people who are tired and always on the move?

In the garden, not every plant is loud. Some are quiet. They don’t stand out right away. But if you slow down, you notice them. Purpletop Vervain is one of those. It’s tall and thin, with little purple flowers at the top. It doesn’t try to impress. It just stands there—steady and strong—offering what it has to whoever comes close. And in that, it teaches us something big: real strength doesn’t have to be loud. And real presence doesn’t have to be flashy.

At The Neighborhood Garden Project, we try to pay attention to what the plants are saying. This one reminds us that you can stretch tall and still be deeply rooted. You don’t have to choose one or the other. That’s the kind of people we’re trying to grow—rooted in who they are, but still willing to reach toward what they were made for. Vervain bends in the wind but doesn’t fall apart. That’s the kind of quiet strength we want to carry.

Each flower on the Vervain is tiny. But together, they’re beautiful. That’s how we see the garden—people showing up with what they have. It may feel small. But when we come together, it becomes something strong. Growth doesn’t have to be fast or dramatic. It often happens when someone just keeps showing up. The Vervain doesn’t rush. It just trusts the process. That’s how we try to live too. We’re not in a hurry. We’re not trying to prove something. We’re just staying faithful and making room for people who are ready.

This plant also gives in ways most folks don’t see. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators rely on it while they’re passing through. Later, birds come for its seeds. It feeds others who aren’t staying long. That’s what we do, too. Most people who come to the garden aren’t here forever. We’re not trying to hold onto them. We’re just here to walk with them for a while, give them something real, and let God do the rest.

Vervain usually grows in the edges—places that get overlooked. But those edges matter. That’s where it connects different ecosystems and helps everything else grow stronger. We see ourselves that way, too. Not always in the spotlight. But still important. We help link people back to God, back to themselves, and back to one another.

The plant doesn’t ask for much. It grows well even in rough soil. It doesn’t take more than it needs. But it gives a lot. That’s how we want to be—low demand, high presence. Not draining the places we’re planted, but bringing life. Not showing up with pressure, but with peace. Vervain doesn’t steal the spotlight, but it changes the soil around it.

And when the wind blows, Vervain doesn’t fight it. It moves with it. That’s powerful. In a world that tells us to push harder and always be doing more, this plant reminds us to stay rooted and let God lead. We don’t have to control everything. We just need to stay steady and faithful. That’s how real growth happens.

So what does Purpletop Vervain teach us?

That growing slow is okay. That we don’t have to fight for attention. That we don’t need to prove anything. That when we offer our lives with openness, God brings the fruit. And that maybe the most meaningful things we do won’t always be seen. They’ll move quiet, like the wind, but full of life and full of purpose.

That’s the kind of work we’re here for. And that’s the kind of plant we’re learning from.