The more we honor the Blessed Virgin, the more we honor Jesus Christ, because we honor Mary only that we may the more perfectly honor Jesus, since we go to her only as the way by which we are to find the end we are seeking, which is Jesus.”

So begins what is, in the minds of many a saint — and many a living disciple of Jesus, — the best book on the veneration of Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, Mother of God, and Queen of Heaven. “True Devotion to Mary” is St. Louis de Montfort’s classic statement, written from sermons preached by this priest while traveling by foot across France in the late 18th century, of who Mary is, and what role she should play in our hearts and spiritual lives.

The Diocese of Colorado Springs serves ten counties in the center of Colorado including a total of 39 parishes that covers an estimated area of over 15,000 square miles across central Colorado. That’s a lot of marigolds! Our church furthest west is Holy Family in Leadville, and our church furthest east is St. Catherine of Siena located in Burlington (17 miles from the Kansas border).

Whether you’re new to the area or have lived here for years, here are a few recommendations to get your garden growing in the right direction: