The need for gardening, it’s in the blood.
I took after my mother. The need for gardening is in my blood. Well, my mother and I. My sisters don’t understand that we possess this intuitive built-in need to go outside and create beauty in the form of a flower garden, a manicured lawn or a privacy fence constructed of trees or shrubs.
It starts with imagination; in our minds we create or recreate what we’ve seen in other gardens, magazines or books we’ve read. Or we create something that is our very own idea of what is beautiful, a private place yet for all to see. A private place that always exists in our hearts and minds. It’s hard to describe it to someone who doesn’t possess that need. Then we plan. I personally love the planning part, the actual work, not so much! I recognize that I am not as capable of day long digging and planting without a price. Gardeners do it anyway, it’s hard labor but it’s a labor of love, a necessity!
Recently I spent a Sunday with my mother. She is no longer capable of gardening at all but she can look outside and enjoy the garden she created so long ago and she is happy! As long as she sees flowers and a manicured lawn that is.
My mother loves a very neat and tidy yard and so do I. Clipped hedges, perfectly edged borders and a manicured lawn and of course NO weeds! Yes, did I mention she is a perfectionist? Even now at 89!Unfortunately I can’t always achieve this look with lack of time and energy but the promise is always there. I learned a long time ago that perfectionism is highly overrated (sorry mom.) But I still dream!
So on that Sunday as I was showing her some pictures of beautiful gardens from one of my books, she had this wonderfully enchanted and delighted look on her face and I realized fully for the first time that she and I are truly connected in this way. Her response is identical to mine. We may differ in other matters, but this connection is from the heart; our hearts to the earth that we need to manipulate, beautify and dirty our hands with.
Thanks Mamma!
