Thoughts on gardening

What is gardening to me?

This isn't a definition, this is a discovery into why I like gardening. People have gardened, grown and attempted to maintain nature for I assume millennia. Maybe its for pleasure, maybe its forced through servitued, or maybe its beena requirement to maintain life. But for whatever reason I've ended up doing it, I've always enjoyed it.

My parents are gardeners, and so were my grandparents. Maybe being introduced to it at a young age is why it is engrained in me.

It genuinely feels me with such joy seeing a beautiful garden, and such sadness when I see unkept, fully concreted or astro turfed areas around peoples houses. I judge, I shouldn't, but I do. Maybe it's because I don't have a plot to call my own, I rent and I can't do what I want with the garden here. So seeing others that choose to not maintain a natural environment in their surroundings confuses me. I guess they all have their reasons, but for me the world would be a happier healthier place if concrete was limited by planning based on land area and astroturf was banned all together.

I think some of the pleasure from seeing a garden is the understanding of the care and effort and love that has been put into it. Some people would call it hardwork, maybe some of it is, but isn't all work "hard" and if its not hard, then is it even work. The difference to me, is the happiness that you can derive from that hard work, you see a visual reward, or even a fruitful one with a harvest of food. Maintaining a garden keeps you mentally engaged and then nourished. Do we need anything more in life? A purpose and sustenance.

Gardens are a commitment, they take time, but they give time, a place to enjoy existing. You learn the seasons, you need to be aware of the weather. You make mistakes, but nature keeps on going. Nature will continue long after we have gone, or maybe it won't. You might only have 60-70 attempts at growing an annual plant. That's not many tries when you factor in everything that can affect the growing season and your ability to grow. So you better get started now, and get your children started, and keep helping the elders (family on neighbours) to continue growing and pass on their knowledge.

We're looking to move soon, I've lost my purpose as I can't our garden with me.