The Garden At Rock Cottage

Garden Thoughts

by Lance Brilliantine

I love to speak with gardeners of all sorts. I especially like gardeners with disposable incomes but little time to focus on anything except work – people finding bits of knowledge to learn from and pass along to others – people whose imaginations are only limited by their time and money. These are people who must be encouraged to garden, because they are drawn to nature!

If I ask 100 gardeners to describe why they garden, I will hear back what gardeners have probably said for centuries: it’s creative and relaxing, I feel a part of things, I love growing things, and it is therapy for a stressful life. I feel the same whenever I venture outdoors, sow a seed, or see a blossom. Maybe it is not as inspiring as a bullfight, as therapeutic as bellyaching to a therapist, or as creative as sculpting – for me, gardening is contemplative and exciting. Nothing is more satisfying than being be lulled to sleep in a garden hammock!

One thing I have learned from years of gardening and speaking with other gardeners is that there are staunch gardeners, show-off gardeners, gardeners seeking instant gratification, and gardeners who spend too much money on gardening. There is no such thing as an old gardener, because the fountain of youth is in all gardeners. How can you get old when you look to the future? To gardeners, the passing of years is meaningless. Why else would we plant seedlings or dig in bulbs, if not to look towards spring? I recall my dear sister, who died some time ago from cancer. In her last fall, she planted bulbs knowing she would never see them bloom. When I asked her why, she said it was about the future – one she knew she would not see, but others would.

Perhaps my fascination with the pictures in gardening catalogs is about the faith of the future and the fantasy of things unknown and not experienced. I always tell others when I pass along some seeds, “wait until you see what this will grow!”

Of course, some types of gardeners are to be avoided. For example, I dislike the snobs who need to correct my pronunciation. Does it really matter if I say “CLEM-a-tis” or “Cle-MAT- is?” I also dislike people who won’t grow annuals because they are “too easy,” who purchase full-grown trees because they “can’t wait,” and who won’t grow bamboo because “it is not native.”

I tend to avoid folks who criticize my garden design. My garden reflects my point of view about the world. As chaotic as it may seem to some, it reflects my relationship with nature. There are simply too many plants to stick with just one thing and my garden reflects my eagerness to experiment with all nature offers.

The most important lesson I have learned over the years is simply not to take gardening too seriously. There is no such thing as a perfect garden or finished garden. Gardens are always evolving, even those that have been cultivated for centuries. If you enjoy the garden, that is what counts most. You will never get rid of every weed, bug, or squirrel that upsets perfection. And if a plant does not do well, throw it in on the compost heap. There are too many others to try. Gardening is frustrating enough when it frosts in May or becomes too wet in August. Why fiddle with plants that make it even tougher?

Gardening, like love, needs to be kept in the right perspective. It is not brain surgery. No matter how many plants I kill each year, it is important to view the resulting bare spots as opportunities to discover something new and wonderful.

Most importantly, you must not garden so furiously that you never enjoy it – like I sometimes do. Remember that a garden seat is not just for adornment. Sit down with a glass of wine, or just sit and breathe in all that nature offers in this world. It is enough!

I think happiness is self-created and sustained – especially for gardeners. Like the effects of exercise, garden results accrue with dedication and perseverance. As you look forward to spring, make plans this year to be outside and garden with a smile. With global warming – our future is uncertain.

You can contact Lance Brilliantine with any questions or comments at GardenLance@yahoo.com.