My Gardening Philosophy (reasons I enjoy gardening part 1)

Most of us garden on a routine basis because it is necessary to keep on top of the jobs and in truth it can be a bit of a chore when time is precious. However, the reason we started in the first instance and why we continue in the long term is far more complex. There is a lot of emphasis at the moment put on the mental well-being "of getting your hands dirty in the soil" while other gardeners are seriously practical and are keen to maximize productivity from their plots. Then there are the advocates of the arts and crafts, who want to create their own little piece of nirvana outside their back door. In fact the reasons that we garden are really quite complicated and vary so much from one individual to the next.

I have been intrigued by the question why do certain people take to gardening and others do not. I think we all know the chap who would seem to tick all the boxes for the likely gardener only to be surprised find he is content with a patch of artificial grass, deck chairs and a BBQ around the back of his house. Similarly, some gardeners are the most unlikely of people yet others seem to have been born with a trowel in their hand. I have occasionally asked myself why do I like to garden, especially when time is in short supply and I had a career and job to hold down (not such a problem now I have retired).

In the next few weeks I will speculate on the motivation behind my desire to be out in the garden. I suspect any rank order of reasons would be pointless and likely to change on a month by month basis. However, the prime driving force which compels me to get outside and into the garden is quite simply just to have fun. My wife would say it is the fact that I have never grown up and I admit I cannot resist the urge to go out and "play". I guess it is epitomized by my pot of sage which has been nurtured and tended for years. Nothing unusual about that you might think but when I say it has never been harvested for cooking just why do I bother keeping it going? Answer just because I can and it's fun. The same can be said for hard landscaping  (playing with grown up Lego) or tending the ponds (playing in the water) even clearing the snow of the conifers (an excuse to go out and play). Essentially gardening is FUN and we can all enjoy the most basic of pleasures!

Someone else also finds it fun...... Hecate