I was listening to a radio program a few days ago. The guest was a psychologist and the topic was fears and phobias and how they affected people. Listeners would call in about their problem and the psychologist would discuss it with them. The problems they mentioned included normal fears such as fear of heights, flying, roller coasters and so forth.
The psychologist then made a comment that caught my attention as a gardener. He said “there are some things that people just are not afraid of. For example, a flower”. He went on to say that it would take him a very long time, if ever, to make someone afraid of a flower. It did make me stop and realize that he was right. Flowers, and gardens in general, are places of comfort and enjoyment for people. You never hear someone say that they dislike gardens or landscapes but you do hear people talk about their gardens and say positive things such as that they are stress reducers, places just to sit and enjoy the surroundings or great places to gather and entertain friends. Even though gardeners have to weed and do other chores, most can’t wait to go to their gardens each day just for the simple enjoyment of being in the surroundings.
Given the economic challenges lately, we may be seeing more people start to garden as a way to help with their food budget. But I am sure that those who do it just for practical reasons will also soon find how enjoyable gardening can be. It’s not often we can pursue a hobby that beautifies the surrounds, creates a comforting environment for us to enjoy, and can also produce great tasting, vine-ripened produce.
Wishing all of you a happy growing season and a bountiful garden and landscape for you to enjoy all season!