Having a lovely garden can bring a lot of joy and even pride.
But, at the risk of disappointing you, remember that it takes time and is not available to everyone. You’re probably wondering where I’m going…
Can you believe that by visiting my favorite garden sites, I frequently find gardeners who are irritated, if not downright depressed, by a bed that does not produce the desired effect? You or not to acquire the garden they wanted, despite their determination.
The trouble is that passion frequently rhymes with pressure… and that with the internet, the most beautiful gardens are provided to our eyes, which further emphasizes this green and flowery form of nature’s tyranny. physical appearance
I’m not even mentioning garden tours. Then we’ll talk about it. I have vivid memories of my first visits: majestic trees, large perennials, aphid-free roses, immaculately delimited beds, a plethora of luxuriant foliage, very stylish tiny decorative touches… Excellent moments. Until I arrive home and discover my young garden with all of its flaws. You could hire a professional masonry landscaping if you want a beautiful garden but don’t have the time to maintain it yourself.
It usually came after a period of “jardiblues,” which were sometimes connected with a dreadful discouragement that caused me to sulk dibble and grelinette for a few days. This continued until I became fatigued and decided to react and objectively examine the issue in a few points:
1) “The grass is always greener on the other person, until we discover it’s artificial grass.”
I appreciate this phrase by Jacques Salomé because, indeed, we often take a much more indulgent look at other people’s gardens than at our own. Furthermore, on social networks and blogs, we only see what they want us to see… whereas we, complicated gardeners, are always concerned with what does not grow at home! There’s nothing dishonest about it, but it doesn’t totally reflect the truth, so keep that in mind.
2) Beauty is meaningless.
Beauty is a subjective concept. The evidence: some wonder at the formal gardens, while others admire the rustic meadows. Your garden may not appear lovely to you, but it may to others. A garden can also provide ecological, nurturing, and other benefits aside from its visual appeal. I will admit that combining the three is fantastic. But don’t expect too much from yourself or your garden.
3) It takes time and money to create a garden.
Plants require time to develop. They also require someone to sow them, plant them, prune them, and weed their feet…. And in this regard, we are not all equal. It is a privilege to look after your garden 300 days a year. Having the option of committing half a day a week to it (on good weeks…) conforms more to the reality of many gardeners. Don’t forget that we don’t do the same type of work!
Even if it seems small, not all households have the same spending priorities. For my part, when I put new shoes on my four children, fill their schoolbags, and complete enrolling for all of their activities in September, I usually don’t have enough money to buy a single plant. If that’s the case, and it doesn’t matter, I’ll look forward to spontaneous sowing even more! However, keep this in mind while visiting a remarkable garden…it has typically cost a lot of money and time. And the owner may be its slave.
4) It is the trip that is important, not the destination.
Make a list of the delights of working in the garden: envisioning, going in search of new plants, bringing them home, planting them, nurturing them, listening to birdsong, moaning a little against slugs, breathing fresh air, the aroma of earth and roses, basking in the gentle May sun… Is it really that important to spend all that time in the garden if the end result doesn’t look exactly like a magazine photo? Isn’t it the most important thing to have loved all of these moments?
