What makes for a good gardener? Of course, the idea of "good" anything is hugely subjective. Who am I to say whether someone is more talented than another? As with any artistic endeavor, like music or painting, all we can say for certain is whether or not someone has skill or proficiency, but whether we respond to that art is a deeply personal encounter.
When I visit gardens I'm mostly looking for unusual plants, yet I'm also drawn to the combinations, whether intentional or not. One of my greatest joys is seeing how nature creates beauty and arranges itself in unexpected ways. Allowing plants to freely seed around and just "be" can be a great lesson in letting "go" and relinquishing control. But we should also want to engage with our gardens and steer nature in a more beautiful and organized direction. At least that's my goal.
I love a mixture of wild versus control in landscapes. And it doesn't take much gardening or tending to get the feeling of a cared-for landscape. And isn't that what truly matters? Can't we all tell when someone cares for their garden.. when someone spends time there? Just as we can sense a home that's inhabited, we can also instinctively tell whether a garden is "loved" by someone. These subtle distinctions shouldn't be overlooked, because even though a garden may be perfectly groomed and manicured, it may still lack this quality of being loved and occupied.
These "cold" unimaginative landscapes are the norm here in suburbia, as most people rarely spend time outside. Most people seem to employ the mow, blow, mulch, and shear aesthetic of generic landscaping companies. Consequently, these yards show a total lack of imagination and personal character.
Beauty for me occurs at the intersection of the wild exuberance of nature with the controlled confinments of human development. I'm most drawn to the juxtaposition of nature and human culture... these are the places where I see the most beauty.
Though we have tremendous power to shape nature to our liking, we must also recognize that it is largely beyond our control. We could essentially spend 24/7 gardening and never "finish". Yet the beauty of gardening is that it is an unfinishable task. Always in flux. No matter how hard we work, there will always be more to do. It is what we make of it, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed or to conversely become obsessed.
Gardening, for me, has become a way of life. I'm always thinking about plants and how to make my garden more beautiful and exciting. I'm constantly thinking of plants I want or plants that I want to propagate and share with others. It is a bug that has steadily taken over my brain, but I'm also thankful for it! We all need something to look forward to and a sense of purpose. I think the key for me is to find a balance between my addiction to plants and my interest in other activities, like helping others and making music, and family and friends. I don't want to become one-dimensional as can easily happen with any obsessive passion.
Anyway, I wrote this in an effort to explore my motivations for loving plants and gardening. Each of us must find our own individual path and reason for doing anything. I urge you to get into gardening because it gets you outside and in contact with the soil. It helps divert your mind away from your troubles. And you'll feel tremendous satisfaction in seeing plants grow and change with the seasons. Let them become your friends... Just don't let it overtake every other aspect of your life.
Comments