Today’s article is in praise of my garden, and the gifts that it has given me. When I first started gardening, little did I know that it would quickly become such a big part of my life. Here then, in no particular order, are my top 8 gardening gifts.
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Wonder
Remember the joy of finding new buds poking out of the soil or a flower that has recently burst open? I can’t help but notice the many surprises nature has tucked into my garden, too. Sometimes it’s a small toad staring sleepily at me, a new bug, which I happily add to my weird bug photo collection or the macro view inside a bearded lily or a dandelion gone to seed.
Responsibility
With most things in life, you get what you put into it. Gardens and gardening can offer so much more in return. It will take a long time, and there may be failure, but the wait is worth it. Maintaining a garden taught me a lot about dedication and responsibility. You just need to forget to water a plant once, and you’ll never forget it again.
Confidence
My garden is still small, and I know that it is not as fruitful as other people’s gardens (especially evident when I’m oohing and aahing over the photos in gardening magazines, or while we are on a visit to an established garden). And yet, I’m okay with that. No other garden can replace the many memories and stories connected with my own. It can grow with me.
Surprises
I’ve had visitors of many different species visit my garden. There was that time that a bear sauntered up the garden path as if it owned the place. Or, the time when a groundhog set up its home inches away from my garden. Some surprises (such as orange newts with red polka dots!) are amusing. Others (like skunks digging up plants) are annoying. Not everything happens to plan (it rarely does) in a garden. Things can get messy wild, and fun, and I’ve learned to embrace the spontaneity that comes with the garden and life.
“Jerry” was one such surprise! He had a panoramic garden view out of his front door! You can learn more about Jerry and his friends in this article.
A Place to Grow
My garden is a place of solitude when I need a moment of quiet. It is a beautiful, relaxing place to think and pray. My garden has been with me for important life events and moments, a place to pace anxiously before my first job interview or next exam, and a place to talk late into the evenings with my siblings and parents.
A Love of Nature and Learning
When I was a curious little kid messing around in the garden, there were so many exciting things to explore. Whether it was ants building their home, worms squirming through the mud, or bugs nibbling through a leaf, there was always something cool to watch and learn. I learned the importance of caring for birds and pollinators when I watched the complex interactions between pollinators and plants. As I began my studies at university, I found that it was also an excellent place to see course content reinforced in real-life contexts.
Inspiration
There is no doubt that gardens are a valuable source of creative inspiration – look at all the garden-related poetry, music and artwork that has been created!
I first experimented with photography in my garden, and used it as an inspiration for my sketches and more recently, watercolour art.
This is an early watercolour painting I created as a birthday card for a special friend. It was inspired by the many sunflowers we grew a few years ago.
Community
Gardening brings people together, and it’s a great conversation starter. When I meet a fellow gardener, there is an instant connection. We can talk about plants, exchange growing tips, or show each other pictures of our gardens. We can gripe about bad weather or slugs (a great bonding activity). I love going to seed exchanges and gardening presentations because of the great sense of community.
Gardening can sometimes mean slugs, sleep deprivation, rough hands and sore muscles. And yet, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I love how my garden has also contributed to my development as an artist and photographer.
What do you love about your garden? Please feel free to comment below!
