The Joys of a Garden

This summer I was able to establish and successfully maintain a small container flower and plant garden in my patio. I was able to set aside daily time with my plants which has been key over the past few weeks of 100° plus temperatures.

When I look at my miniature rose bushes, hibiscus, goldfish plant and ferns, I realize how much I have missed working with plants. Over the past 10-12 years, I let my career take the majority of my time and energy. My stressful and demanding position sapped not only my time but also my energy. And among the casualties in my personal life was my interest in gardening.

Unlike my mother, I am not a natural gardener. My sweet mother had a green thumb that was unmatched by none. She could bring home one of those pitiful 50 cents plant that was on its last leg and in 3-4 weeks time it would be green and thriving – singing with life and gratitude for my mother’s care.

Gardening is a wonderful hobby because you can keep it simple or you can become sophisticated and scientific. Gardening is a popular hobby because it brings you enjoyment as you nurture and care for living plants. Even if you maintain a small garden, this hobby is worth the time that you spend with your plants. There is nothing comparable in therapy for going out in the garden in the evening after a stressful time at your job. Working with the soil and spending a little time nurturing and pouring your tender care into the garden can make most of your worries and anxieties of the office melt away. Then when you come in after an hour of gardening, those office or business cares take on their proper perspective so you can deal with them with renewed energy and effort.

Gardening is creativity for the uncreative. When you till your garden or prepare a container for a new plant, it is like a master painter preparing her paints to produce a masterpiece. Placing a new plant in your carefully prepared soil gives you the sensation that the new life that will happen wouldn’t have happened without your efforts. In a way, it puts you in touch with yourself and with nature that is pretty hard to match in another pastime. Even the simple act of watering the soil has a mystical regenerative power which is so refreshing that you will look forward to your time with your garden as much as any other part of your day. Then when the day comes that you rush out to your garden after work and see the young plant sprout new leaves or blooms after you carefully planted and cared for it, you experience a little moment of parenting that brings real bliss to your heart.

We, certainly, know that we did not create the plant and that we are no more than caregivers in helping that plant grow into a healthy plant. By becoming part of the cycle of nature when you care for the plants in your garden, you get a feeling of completion and connection to God and His creation. Even the most hardened cynic will feel a connection to the Divine by simply spending time with the simple plants of the earth and letting them become part of his life.

So don’t be afraid to begin planning your little container garden. Even if you are an apartment dweller, you can organize a garden with planter boxes or containers and get many of the same joys from your little garden that the master garden with acres of landscaping can get. All you need is a little time and interest. When you select your plants, don’t be afraid to ask the sales clerk for advice in making your selection. Most nursery employees are ardent enthusiasts of gardens and are willing to share their experience and knowledge with you.

Let me give you a little more inspiration with this quote:

In almost every garden, the land is made better and so is the gardener. ~Robert Rodale

Photo Credit: yvestown via Compfight cc

 

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Editorial Update: We strive to keep our content accurate and up-to-date. As part of our ongoing efforts, this article has been moved from Personal Musings to Home Decor & Gardening on 09/14/2023.