From: gilliam@rudkin.fccc.edu (Jon Charles Gilliam)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Why do we garden? (was deflowering of puck)
Date: 13 Oct 1994 14:30:11 GMT

John Woodworth (jrwoodworth@mmm.com) writes:
> You raise an interesting point, though. Why do we garden? For me
> there's nothing sensual about it. It's more biblical. I play god in
> my own little universe. I plant something and command it to grow. I
> am pleased if it does my bidding. I am overjoyed if it exceeds my
> expectations. And I am saddened if it disobeys. It must be
> vanquished to the compost bin.

> Of course, I garden for practical reasons: to beautify my house or
> the challenge of (dis)proving conventional gardening wisdom by
> growing plants that have no business living in MN (where plants
> suffer, TM).

   For me, It's more of a Zen/Pagan thing.  Pagan in that it brings me
closer to nature, and brings a reverence for the sense of sacredness I
find in working with the land.  Zen in that the peaceful, repetitious,
solitary acts of gardening -- weeding, pruning, harvesting -- lead you
to a search for satisfaction in the acts themselves, apart from the
results they bring.

   But, in contrast to that, there's also the expectation -- like
counting down the days before christmas -- until the first fruit or
the first flowers.  And the planning and arranging, and then seeing
the results of your work take hold and prosper on their own.  A
nurturing sort of thing, I guess.

Bright Blessings,
:jon