Sierra Ferrell (born on 3 August 1988) is an American singer-songwriter bas… Read Full Bio ↴Sierra Ferrell (born on 3 August 1988) is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN.

Growing up in West Virginia, Ferrell got her start singing Shania Twain songs in a local bar at the age of seven, and left home in her early 20s to journey across the US with a troupe of wandering musicians. After years of living in her van and busking on the streets of New Orleans and Seattle, Ferrell moved to Nashville and started landing gigs there. She drew the attention of Rounder Records, who signed Ferrell in 2019. Subsequently, she has played to audiences at major festivals like The Avett Brothers at the Beach, AmericanaFest, and Out on The Weekend, and also shared the stage with the likes of Trampled by Turtles, Parker Millsap, Charley Crockett, and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.

The Garden
Sierra Ferrell Lyrics

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In the time of the harvest, the leaves fallin' down
I held with my true love, could reap from the ground
But the bounty of a garden can all rot away
Without love and protection and a hard wheel to stay

I'll never have a garden again
Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
Now I'm just prayin' with two dirty hands

I'll never, no, never have a garden again

For the land, it can dry up and seasons will change
A weak love of falter and hearts rearranged
Gardens need sunshine and gardens need rain
And my tears are too salty to water the garden

But I'm dreamin' of a garden again
Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
'Til then I'll be prayin' with two dirty hands
I'm dreamin', yes, dreamin' of a garden again

Now, me and my new love, the seeds for the soul
Are tendin' the soil and planting a rose
For after the winter comes springtime again
And the garden can grow like a heart that can mend

I'm livin' in the garden again
Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
And I keep on prayin' with two dirty hands

I'm livin', yes, livin' in the garden again
I'm livin', yes, livin' in the garden again

Overall Meaning

"The Garden" by Sierra Ferrell is a poignant song that uses the metaphor of a garden to explore themes of love, loss, and resilience. The lyrics speak of a time of harvest and the singer's connection with their true love, emphasizing how a garden's bounty can wither and rot without love, protection, and commitment. The first verse implies that the singer has experienced the decay of their garden, symbolizing the deterioration of their relationship. They express a sense of regret and longing, acknowledging that they will never have a garden again. The act of falling to their knees and working with a lamp is a metaphorical representation of the devotion and effort put into cultivating their relationship.

The second verse delves deeper into the complexities of love, recognizing that like a garden, it requires both sunshine and rain. The singer acknowledges that their tears, symbolizing their emotional struggles, are not enough to sustain the garden. However, despite the hardships, they continue to dream of having a garden again, suggesting an enduring hope for love's renewal.

In the final verse, the focus shifts to the singer's present situation. They have found a new love and are planting the seeds for a new beginning. There is a sense of optimism as they acknowledge that even after the coldest of winters, springtime will eventually come, bringing growth and the possibility of healing. The end of the song reflects a newfound contentment as the singer states that they are now living in the garden again, continuing to work and pray with their hands symbolically marked by their efforts.

Line by Line Meaning

In the time of the harvest, the leaves fallin' down
During the season of harvest, as autumn sets in, the leaves gracefully descend from the trees

I held with my true love, could reap from the ground
I embraced a deep connection with my beloved, together we could gather the fruits of our labor from the soil

But the bounty of a garden can all rot away
However, the abundance of a garden can easily decay and perish

Without love and protection and a hard wheel to stay
Without love, care, and steadfast determination, a garden cannot thrive and flourish

I'll never have a garden again
I have resigned myself to never experiencing the joy of cultivating a garden ever again

Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
A garden where I humbly kneel down, toil diligently, even under the illuminating glow of a lamp

Now I'm just prayin' with two dirty hands
Now I find solace in prayer, despite my hands being soiled and weary from the hardships I endure

I'll never, no, never have a garden again
I reaffirm my conviction that I will never again possess a garden to call my own

For the land, it can dry up and seasons will change
The land can become arid and desolate, and seasons inevitably transform and evolve

A weak love of falter and hearts rearranged
A feeble love can stumble and waver, causing hearts to be rearranged and emotions to be reshuffled

Gardens need sunshine and gardens need rain
Gardens require both sunlight and rainfall in order to thrive and flourish

And my tears are too salty to water the garden
Regrettably, my tears are too bitter and laden with sorrow to nourish the garden

But I'm dreamin' of a garden again
Nevertheless, I find myself yearning and envisioning a garden once more

Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
A garden where I humbly kneel down, toil diligently, even under the illuminating glow of a lamp

'Til then I'll be prayin' with two dirty hands
Until then, I will continue to find solace in prayer, despite my hands being soiled and weary from the hardships I endure

I'm dreamin', yes, dreamin' of a garden again
I am wholeheartedly yearning and longing for the day when I can have a garden once more

Now, me and my new love, the seeds for the soul
Now, together with my newfound love, we are like seeds that nourish and nurture each other's souls

Are tendin' the soil and planting a rose
We are diligently caring for the land and sowing the seeds of love, just like planting a beautiful rose

For after the winter comes springtime again
Because after the harshness of winter, the bountiful joys of spring will arrive once more

And the garden can grow like a heart that can mend
And the garden will thrive abundantly, just like a heart that has the ability to heal and mend

I'm livin' in the garden again
I rejoice as I find myself embracing the experience of living in a garden once more

Where I fall to my knees and work with a lamp
A garden where I humbly kneel down, toil diligently, even under the illuminating glow of a lamp

And I keep on prayin' with two dirty hands
And I persistently find solace in prayer, despite my hands being soiled and weary from the hardships I endure

I'm livin', yes, livin' in the garden again
I am filled with life and gratitude as I wholeheartedly embrace the joys of living in a garden once more

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Sierra Ferrell, Oliver Bates Craven

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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