Ode to the garden

As you know by now, I love to garden. I have a lot to learn, but I really enjoy getting my hands dirty; waiting in anticipation when the garden is in its winter slumber; and enjoying the surprises that come with seeing the full palate in bloom. To me, there is nothing better than having freshly picked flowers in the house and outside my window. It helps me relax, and it makes a house that is usually full of dog and man odors smell light and clean.

This is the time of year when I start itching to dig in the dirt. Now that we've lived in the house for nearly two years, I know what plants I want to move, where the sunlight is best, and what areas need some extra love. Every year, I like to have a goal, and my goal this year is to grow more veggies because there is nothing better than a tomato picked from just outside your door. So far, I've planted strawberries that should produce fruit in a few months through the rest of the summer. I've sown four different kinds of lettuce plus arugula and green onion. I've planted parsley, oregano, and chives, which add to my existing herb garden of thyme, sage, sorrel, and a bay leaf tree. I've removed some overgrown shrubs that blocked precious sunlight from surrounding perennials. And, I've weeded. Boy have I weeded.

While I was weeding earlier today, I was trying the figure out what it is about gardening that I love so much. More than just the activity and the pride of seeing the results of my hard work, but what makes me want to squat and contort myself in very unflattering positions in front of my neighbors? Slowly, I realized that I get so much from gardening, and the benefits are immediate and long lasting.

Here are a ten reasons why gardening rocks:

1. Gardening is an outdoor workout. I love being outside, and I often wish I would enjoy the outdoors more frequently. There is no question that being outside is good for you, but I often find myself tired from a long week of work or distracted by other priorities that keep me -- often by my own fault -- from playing in the woods. However, a garden is right there in front of you. It's in your face and you can't ignore it. When I work in the garden, I squat, lift heavy objects over and over again, stretch for things, and walk, walk, walk. I get the same feeling when I hike or raft or bike, but I don't have to go anywhere. When I lose the baby weight, I think I may remake "Buns of Steel" but with a gardening theme.

2. Gardening teaches you to work smarter not harder (but it shouldn't be too easy). The reality is that you will never be able to do everything you want to do in your garden. You're busy and you get tired. When I go out to my garden, I try to identify the one or two big things I want to get done when I have a few hours to spare and two or three little things that I can do in 15 or 20 minutes. With those limitations, you try to focus on what gives you the biggest bang for your time and energy buck, and a garden doesn't lie so you quickly learn what is a good use of time (e.g., weeding and mulching in the spring when weeds are easy to remove) versus what is a waste of time (e.g., spending an entire day pulling a square foot of established weeds in the summer).

The reason I say gardening shouldn't be too easy is because I hate commercials that insist buying a chemical or a mutated plant that will never die is your key to garden happiness. Like almost anything, if it comes easy, it comes at a cost. Ordering pizza every night is easier than cooking dinner, but it costs a lot of money over time, harms your health, and it gets boring. Organic gardening is the same. It isn't hard, but it requires you to pay attention and use your resources wisely. As a result, you get healthier plants, more critters that entertain you when you are laying in your hammock, and you don't have to worry that your kid or your dog will get sick all over your new rug after getting exposed to harmful chemicals.

3. Gardening helps you be more nurturing and patient. I'm a selfish person. I don't say that because I want attention (wait, maybe I do since I'm a selfish person), but I admit that I like things my way. Organic gardening forces you to learn about what something else needs to live and requires you to figure out how to balance what you want with what the plant needs. Plants are unique, and even though an instruction card on a new plant may say one thing, you may find, after years of experimentation and desperation, that the plant likes something different. For example, a plant that may be suited for "full sun" may like some afternoon shade. Some may not need much water while others seem to consume gallons on a daily basis. I'm also routinely surprised by plants that look dead but that suddenly spring to life when I've been too lazy or busy to pull them out.

You need to nurture your garden and treat the plants as individuals. Soon (like kids) they grow up and find friends that share common needs, and you can sit back and watch the plant bloom and thrive. You can't force a plant to be happy, so you need to find a strategy that works for you and the plant. When you find the right balance, it's like magic.

4. Gardening helps you make friends (human, animal, and insect). Organic gardening creates a little ecosystem outside your front door. The previous owners of our house used all sorts of chemicals in their garden (I know because we had to find a way to dispose of the stuff when we moved in), and I remember feeling disappointed because we rarely saw butterflies or bees or birds. After only a year, we had about a dozen bird species (including a nest with a family of finches) and loads of beneficial insects. Neighborhood cats enjoy the cat mint, much to Soma's enjoyment or chagrin, it's hard to tell. I've also gotten to know my neighbors since I spend so much time outside. Strangers may break the ice by asking about a specific plant or commenting on the garden generally. When our little guy arrives, I'm hoping he will join me in the garden, and I can teach him little things like the secret to good compost or how to identify plants and birds. It may sound cheesy, but I think it's cool!

5. Gardening forces you to confront fears. I remember when I first started gardening. My friend, Amy, and I would go to our favorite neighborhood nursery, Swanson's, to enjoy some coffee and some plants. I was totally overwhelmed. I had no idea how to select a plant or a bulb and was tempted to retreat. I knew nothing, but Amy showed me a few things and helped me get my bearings. Then, I started reading websites and books and magazines about gardening and grew more confident.

My new fear is vegetable gardening. I know nothing about how to make a tomato plant happy, but I want to try. I also want to try growing vegetables I've never eaten or grown before to experiment with something new. I'm terrified that I will fail and that my garden will have carcasses from failed veggie gardening endeavors, but I'm willing to take the risk. We'll see what happens!

6. Gardening promotes creativity and problem solving. This life lesson is related to the "work smarter not harder" lesson, but it's a little different. I find that gardening is really fun when you have a general vision that you want to execute. I love developing a color scheme and figuring out what textures and hues look good together. However, like life, it's rare that a vision is carried out exactly as planned. Sometimes, you need to adjust your original vision after discovering an unforeseen bump in the road. I love it when I've conquered a problem and can enjoy all the blooms that result!

7. Gardening gives you a break at the right times. For me, I need a break from gardening in the summer and in the winter. As much as I love getting dirty, sometimes you just want to kick back with a spiked hot cocoa or a gin and tonic (my preferred winter and summer libations) and chillax. Thankfully, the garden supports me. In the summertime, I can hang in the hammock or lounge in a chair with a good book while enjoying the sites, smells, and sounds of my garden. It's zen. In the winter, I still have some cool things to look at (e.g., my red twig dogwoods, hellebores, etc.), but I can stay warm and cozy in my house. Ahhh....

8. Gardening teaches you to focus on what you can control. Sometimes it's cold. Sometimes it's hot. Sometimes you buy a plant you've been wanting for years and it dies for no good reason. Sometimes you want a spot to be sunny but the sun won't follow your instructions. Despite all the variables, there are a few things you can control: where you put plants, the soil conditions, fencing to keep your compost loving dog out of the newly planted bed. Just do the best with what you've got. Focusing on what you can control helps you in life, and the garden is a great reminder of this important lesson.

9. Gardening puts you in touch with the world. I know this sounds very hippie, but the world has a pulse, a vibe that we often overlook. Not just the natural world, but cities, families, etc. When I was weeding today, I heard birds chirping, the wind blowing, and people mowing their lawns. I watched neighbors walking their dogs and welcoming friends and family for Easter brunch. I also noticed birds feeding on seeds, new blooms, and worms squirming when I woke them from their sleep or inadvertently took them away from their soil-building work. It's nice to notice these little things. I remember when I started my job after law school, and I was shocked and appalled that I didn't know the names of rivers in my area or what types of fish they produce. I want to be aware of my surroundings because you aren't really living if you shut yourself off from the world around you.

10. Gardening requires you to face and deal with problems. You can't deny it when a plant is covered in rust or black spot. It's also hard to ignore a brown, dried up mess in the corner surrounded by lots of vibrant healthy plants. You can only ignore a dead or dying plant for so long before you have to deal with it to prevent infecting surrounding plants. For me, it's a good reminder that it's always easier to address an issue right away than let it sit and turn into a bigger problem. For someone like me, who can easily avoid things and deny like no other, the garden is good therapy!

That concludes my deep thoughts for the day. Thanks for reading and let me know if you agree or think I'm crazy.

Happy Easter!