I am feeling a bit nostalgic today as I sit down to write this. Maybe it’s because my oldest granddaughter is graduating today and will be off to college in a few short months, or the fact that all my children are now officially 40-plus, or that a dear friend and her husband are dealing with his battle with cancer. Whatever the reason, I realize more and more, how short life is and how we all need to cherish every moment and live in the present. There is a sign taped to my desk at home with a quote from Ecclesiastes 3:12.
“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”
How does this translate to the garden? For me, the garden represents both happiness and doing good. We have talked about the benefits of gardening often, but a few points bear repeating.
The act of gardening can help ease stress, lower blood pressure, improve your mood, and increase your self-esteem. There is a naturally occurring soil microbe called Mycobaterium vaccae, that has been found to raise serotonin levels and act as a natural antidepressant. It is thought that we inhale and/or absorb this microbe while digging in the soil. But remember, research also shows that the mere act of viewing a natural setting such as a garden can help us heal faster, lower blood pressure and contribute to our overall well-being. If we are so busy and caught up in the act of gardening, stressing over getting everything perfect, we will miss out on all the benefits that gardening offers. So, work hard planting and caring for your garden, but please don’t forget to take time to enjoy what you have created. For me, that means taking a few minutes in the morning to go out on the patio with my coffee and listening to and observing the garden. Or wandering at the end of the day, deadheading and pulling a few weeds.
The doing good part of gardening is also important.
Last time, I wrote about being the change, and some of the things on my list to do in my own garden like shrinking the size of the lawn and planting more natives. It’s about looking at the big picture; not just what we want, but about what we need. It goes without saying that we all want our children and grandchildren to grow up enjoying clean air and water, but how often do we tie those things to our everyday gardening habits? Are we willing to tolerate a few holes in the leaves of our plants to help eliminate the overuse of pesticides? Are we okay with some dandelions and violets in our lawn in return for a safe, chemical free space for our children and pets to play?
The many benefits of gardening are there for all of us to enjoy, free of charge, but let’s pay it forward to the next generations and do our part to create and grow a better world, one garden at a time, starting in our own.