The Joy of Gardening

One of my favorite movies is The Sound Of Music, and my favorite scene from that film is the opening one. As the camera pans across the glories of the mountains, the music swells and then Maria comes running full tilt into a glorious meadow. Then there’s the twirl as she bursts into song.

This scene so impressed my 10-year-old self and my best friend Laurie that we would take turns re-enacting it. We even found a secluded meadow surrounded by woods so no one could see us racing around, twirling and singing. So what does this have to do with the joy of gardening?

Well, that same feeling comes over me when I’m walking or working in a garden, looking at pictures of gardens, or just thinking about gardening.

Growing flowers and food touches something emotional at a very core level for me. I think it does for most other people, too. We give flowers when some one passes on, or has a baby, or graduates, or is ill. Why? Because they express what cannot be put into words. We grow fruits and veggies for our loved ones because we care.

The joy of providing the best is one of the motivators for many gardeners.

I was out in the garden last night (trying not to burst into song, though I did hum a little bit), thinking about this joy factor. There are little green shoots popping up everywhere: ferns, lily of the valley, astilbe, hosta, heuchera, and some still to be identified. The first little mint leaves are breaking the ground’s surface, while the lilies are up a good two inches. The daffodils are in full bloom, while the lilacs are still in bud. Every discovery gave me a thrill. I planted a new curly wiilow “tree” in a flowerpot to balance the one already there.

I also planted some amaryllis bulbs and thought of my neighbor two doors down. Her name is Anne and  she’s 85, and she just loves flowers. My garden not only gives me joy, but her too. She told me she drags a chair into her bathroom so she can sit by the window and look at my garden. I find this so touching. Such a simple thing—planting some flowers—and yet our lives have been given that bit of joy. A pleasant thought to remember, something to think on when stress comes pressing in.

Then there’s my next door neighbor, Mary. She told me she moved her computer so she can look into the garden while she works. She also likes to hear the waterfall and wind chimes. Last summer she helped her grandson with arithmetic by counting the blossoms on the moonflower vine. Another life touched by gardening.

In my more poetic moments I’ve even thought there would be less fighting in the world if more people gardened. Imagine if differences could be resolved by people working together to bring something good out of the earth.

So, gardening brings joy to many people besides the gardener. It’s a great feeling! Won’t you come join me in song?

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Created on Oct 2nd 2020 21:31. Viewed 182 times.

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