8 Reasons I Love Gardening ...

I have yet to read a gardening magazine or to scan a blog about gardening without discovering at least one new thing. Just the other day I learned that adding a crushed tablet of aspirin to a vase of fresh cut flowers will prevent bacteria from growing in the water and allow me to enjoy my bouquet for a longer period of time.

Toting rakes, garden hose, a bucket of seeds, and pulling weeds here and there may not seem like a lot of physical activity, but I sure am sore the next day! By the time summer wind down, I don’t feel worn out from gardening as much as I do at the beginning of spring. I think just getting off the couch or away from the computer for a brief period of time and out into the garden to work should count as exercise. Right?

I’ve always been attracted to activities that allowed me to be outside. I was a guide for 10 years and this involved taking people on dogsledding trips during the winter and kayaking trips in the summer time. Once I injured my back and had to switch to an indoor job, I began to get my outdoor fixes by taking up gardening.

The cats ‘help’ me from time to time in the garden, but I don’t really lump them into the category of ‘wildlife’. I enjoy seeing the sparrows, cardinals, nut hatches, and juncos flit about the garden in search of bugs and seeds. Sometimes I place a platter of bird seed or bread crumbs out in the middle of the garden just for them.

They may not revel in the veggies like I do, but I know they appreciate the effort I put forth in maintaining the vegetable garden. I’ve seen the boys sneak fresh tomatoes and peas from the garden for a quick snack. I like knowing that there aren’t any chemicals in the food my family eats from the garden.

Having the freedom to plant any type of flower, vegetable, fruit, herb, or tree gives me a chance to try my hand at growing some rather exotic plants. I like being able to go through a gardening catalog and pick an assortment of plants to grow. There aren’t any specific plants that I absolutely have to place in my garden. It’s completely up to me!

Since I’m the one who plants the garden and tends to it regularly, I like to consider this as my personal space. I can relax and defuse after a long day. I’m usually left to piddle around with the plants on my own, which gives me time to think. Also, if I get the urge to sit in the middle of my flower garden in a lawn chair, I can!

Not only is being in the garden relaxing, but I also find pulling weeds and scouting for bugs to be calming. I know some gardeners get stressed by just the thought of finding pests or pulling weeds. I personally don’t mind either of these tasks.

I hope the 8 reasons I love gardening that are listed above inspire you to make a garden of your own, if you don’t already have one started. If you do have a garden and enjoy it, then what are your reasons?

Top Photo Credit: Robert M Scott