Why do you garden?

ALL OF THE ABOVE

i think most garden to relieve whatever stress they have, I can concentrate on what I am doing at the time and feel an sense of accomplishment that I "got something done" I raise iris among other things, and there is constant work, you really have to love gardening to continue to do the up-keep on them. I lost my brother 5 years ago and we loved orchids, he had a wonderful greenhouse, and always wanted to raise iris, I have since planted well over a thousand iris rhizomes, and can work among them and think of my brother, and feel "life can go on" gardening gave me a new lease on life.

I've gardened almost 25 years now and can't imagine life without one (just in case I hafta move, I've collected 200 orchids!) I garden for fun, to surround myself with beauty, to escape from harsh reality, and to have an excuse to go barefoot and stick my arms to the elbows in dirt. Whenever I'm truly stressed, dirt is my relief.

I do it for all of the above! Lucky:)

D

other because there wasn't an "all of the above" and for independence.

Wow, boojum, all the way up to the elbows? You must have good soil there--I can't go in six inches without hitting a rock or clay. LOL

gotta echo the 'all of the above'

"Who plants a seed beneath the sod, and waits to see, believes in God"

Gardening, grandkids and tortoises...just doesn't get any better than that!

Old dairy farm soil. Plenty of rocks but very nice soil!

Boojum, To my very green thumb friend, you forgot to mention the huge number of roses, iris and DL's, plus all the rest which makes up your stunning garden, aside from the 200 orchids. Plus what about all the epiphyllums, cactus and Hippeastrum? I think your garden is the result of more than sticking your "arms to the elbows in dirt ", it is more likely that you are "up to your neck in dirt" and loving every minute. You should be miss mellow from all your work. Patti

Too bad that's not true! Can you tell that Patti comes over???

It started when I was very young. It was an overwhelming need to plant things and have them grow.

I ordered 10 trees (sticks) from the back of a magazine one year, I was about 10 years old, and sent perhaps $2 in the mail for them. I planted them in and around my parents home in Long Island,NY. They were very mad that I did that. They had landscapers come every week and do the property and gardeners that did the plant picking and positioning. My trees were not on their list....so they were pulled out and discarded.

I am thrilled to say, it has been 45 years now, and on the property, is a magnificent Sugar Maple, right where I had planted it, and off to the side of the house, is a almost 100 foot tall Oak. I get a thrill when I see them, which is about once in 40 years...lol

My parents were worried about me, caring for and planting seeds and sewing and riding horses and cooking. I was NOT normal to them.

I continued studying on my own about landscaping and plants, really getting into Lithops and Japanese gardens. My services were hired beginning in 1968 for a estate on Long Island. I planned and executed a 7 acre Japanese Garden, that now, is a study in how well planned landscapes withstand the test of time and neglect....The bamboo garden has grown to immense proportions, rocks have sunk and grown over with moss and fungus. concrete benches are skewed and deep within groves where they were originally on a cleared path.

You can vaguely see the old paths, the slight bumps of granite outlining where the paths once were. My garden there has grown in stature due to the ancient look of it and the untouched quality of the bamboo groves. Asian families coming to the NY area for visits, try to include a visit and an invitation to this site. It is still privately owned and maintained...but not for long. The original
owner is a widower now and I think the property will be sold for the value of the land for development. All the final traces will be gone, but thats what keeps me gardening.

I have an article I saved about a gals mom, who had recently moved to a 5 acre nothing home, and her mom who is 83, has started clearing the land and planting another landscaped garden. She thinks this might be her "final garden".

So, I checked "other" for the need to garden. I think its fun, but I am not laughing. It is much more emotional for me. I think I am pressured by the wind and the sun and the earth to do this as a gift of prettiness for the other humans who can enjoy looking at it.
I don't have the time to look and sit and enjoy it...LOLOL dig dig dig


thank god for winter and the time to recuperate, go to the physical therapist and doctor and hospitals to repair the damage done by all that lifting and hoisting and plant moving. I have always had my operatons in winter time, for the repair and recuperation time before spring comes.

sorry for this long letter. just always a gardener and wanting to share.
Regards,
sheri

Sheri - Thank you for that wonderful insight into why we garden. Gardening is just part of our souls - our legacy. Not long at all....

"Who plants a seed beneath the sod, and waits to see, believes in God" So true. Gardeners deal with miracles on a daily basis.

Beautiful story, Sheri. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I know how you feel too! I have been obsessed with gardening since I was a child. My mother often said I was a throwback since the only gardener was my grandmother and she gardened until she died in her 70's . I still remember a particular plant she grew called snow on the mountain. I think it must have been a euphorbia it was lovely to look at but had a very medicinal smell and attracked wasps! That is a memory from when I was 5.

There is also a "Snow-on-the-Mountain" Camelia bush, or at least it's mentioned in Harper Lee's To K a Mockingbird

I garden to provide natural nectar plants for my hummingbirds.

I didn't sign on when this poll was open, but here's my reason for gardening: My mom had a large perennial garden with a few annuals mixed in, and during the growing season, she always had at least one lovely small bouquet in our living room, and one near the kitchen sink, to enjoy while we/she did kitchen chores.

I'm currently not the gardener that she was (she was at home full-time, and she had the same sunny garden for 55 years!), but in the seven different gardens that I've originated over 46 years, it has been my joy to bring in a bit of whatever is in bloom, to enjoy small bouquets, and now, to remember my mom.

The enjoyment of not being couped up indoors, no chemicals in the fruit n veggies, exercise, being out with the kids ( pets). And suppling fresh food at the table right out of thr garden with flowers from the yard in center table. And finally just standing and admiring the finished pictures. Work well worth the effort.

I garden because I just love to see things grow. I love the beauty of an unusal plant & I try hard to find them. You should see my bananas grow!!

My love for gardening as well as houseplant growing is medicine for soothing my state of mind and soul. Nothing calms me more than to tending to my plants, flowers, and vegitables.

I have kids plants don't talk back. I also love watching things grow. Our yard is full of wildlife which I enjoy. Lastly when people said you'll never get anything to grow in that rocky clay soil I knew I could prove them wrong.

To plantnative--I'm new to posting on these forums--but I chuckled out loud to your entry, so I thought I just had to send a comment along :) !

I must agree with you re: "Plants don't talk back" :) What I didn't mention while "I'm gardening for my soul" --Is that it's actually my MAJOR Mom Down time! Time spent watering, deadheading, pinching, pruning, while enjoying the sight, smell, and taste of what I've grown--whatever--makes a much more sane mommy :)

Yep, I know clay--Chicagoland is also full of rocks & clay! And working that soil is a good distressing activity in itself!! LOL!

Hey!!! Don't say mean things about zuchini! A lot of plants are not so generous...and if you pick the crisp young ones (great for dipping, sauteing with peppers and onions (YUM!!)) and baseball bats for stuffing...I LOVE the generous zuchini!
EZGROONLY

Fun of it and it's calming theropy

My dad taught me how to garden. (My mom says it's part of my Polish peasant heritage. :) When I'm in my garden is when I can talk to my dad who died in 1977 at the age of 62. Together we figure out what a problem may be or delight in the beauty of a rose or the sweet taste of a tomato. I'm thrilled that my older son picked up this love of gardening from his Pops and his mom. He has a lovely garden out near Seattle.

Anger is not allowed in my garden. It is a place of peace and beauty, work and reflection.

To stay away from my wife !