Comments on: What my love-hate relationship with gardening is teaching me about time (or trying to)

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:31:50 +0000

@Kim – Hey! Thanks for stopping by! I like your blog too, and its (non?)title.

@Anny – Interesting analogy. And I’ve certainly considered leaving the produce-growing to the professionals. But then what would get me out of the house?

By: anny

anny — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:01:50 +0000

Your comments somehow made me think of a person who thinks she wants a baby because babies are so cute. Gardens, like babies, are hard and sometimes painful WORK. Your pleasure in them does not come from expectation of a payoff at the end. It comes from the nuturing as things proceed, from the observation of small successes. And because a community garden is often some distance away (oh, to have the screaming baby there and not here)you must commit to it, you can’t enjoy it now and then throughout the day.

Farmers’ markets are full of flowers and good food you can buy. Your perfect personal garden might more happily be a window or porch, or if space permits, a small patio, a table and chair, an awning or shade tree, and a few potted plants.

By: Kim Flodin

Kim Flodin — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:06:48 +0000

Hey Janet,
Great blog! Will be following it regularly. Congratulations! As a writer who focuses all too often on the pain in the process, I have found a blog to be freeing and fun. Hope you find that, too. In the meantime, I’ll keep enjoying yours!
k

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:37:28 +0000

@Eileen, @Victoria – Who knew there were so many quietly suffering gardeners out there?

@Leah – Thanks for the smile.

@Shannon – I know about the OCD-like tendencies. Nice to know the “compromise” turned out well.

By: Victoria Brouhard

Victoria Brouhard — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:02:39 +0000

Silly me – I thought I was the only one who felt this way about gardening. As I was reading, I even caught myself feeling guilty for not loving it.

Last spring I planted some tomato plants, chili peppers and strawberries.

The chilis weren’t hot, the strawberries weren’t sweet and the tomatoes weren’t tasty!

It was such a bust, I found myself not being able to stay motivated to care for them.

So, yes, not so much Celestial Harmony between Nature and me, either.

By: leah

leah — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:02:20 +0000

great post. it made me smile!

By: Shannon Wilkinson

Shannon Wilkinson — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:46:22 +0000

Janet, it’s so true. The things we want gardening to be, and the things it turns out to be, are often so different!

When my honey and I started gardening together it was a bit of a clash. The veggies weren’t so bad, but the flower garden, was rough. My OCD-like tendencies come out, and I want symmetry and complementary colors and planning. He wants to go to the nursery and buy a bunch of cool looking flowers and stick ‘em in. There was compromise. And by compromise I mean I gritted my teeth, and we did it his way. I have to admit, the result was lovely!

So, I too am learning things from gardening. And also like you, not the things I expected.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:27 +0000

“Nature and I are as one. O the celestial harmony!”

LOL. This is what I keep hoping I will get out of gardening too, *every time* I attempt it. What I always *do* get is a bunch of (expensive) dead plantings and a dash of guilt and shame.

Great lessons, thank you!

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:50:25 +0000

@Sarah – Glad you’re laughing! (Sigh)
Your porch sounds lovely…

By: Sarah M. Greer

Sarah M. Greer — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:41:53 +0000

Hi Janet,

There is always something in your posts that makes me laugh out loud.

I, too, have to set perfectionism and impatience aside to work in my “garden” (– a second story outdoor porch which I always seem to wish were neater. *smile*)

Thanks for sharing your funny, sometimes admittedly flawed, perspective.