Appreciation of Garden

Right now, while we are approaching the peak of a summer season, is the time to look at your garden (assuming you have one already) and see how well it’s doing. And by this I mean taking a closer look at a multitude of things, starting with the actual produce output you’ve gotten so far and finishing with the overall satisfaction the gardening experience has brought to you.

Asian lily in Alex Lisser's Garden.
Photograph by Alex Lisser.

Yes, the veggies and fruits of your labor are important; however, I take them only as part of a bigger picture. Do you have that nice feeling of connection with nature by participating in the circle of life? — The mystery of sowing seeds into the ground and hoping that they will sprout in time; the tender nurturing in spring; the inspiration of the first flowers; the sensations of touch, smell, and weight of the crops; and the taste of that savory dish you put them in. Yes, all of this I take into the picture, too.

Other benefits of gardening I can name are:

• You spend more time outdoors in the fresh air (we all need it!)
• You are doing low-impact exercise (just ask your doctor!)
• You are engaging in more ways to be creative (garden design, planting schedule, seed selection, cooking, pickling, and so on)
• You are supplying yourself with homegrown produce (save money, reduce shopping time, improved taste)
• You are keeping your mind active and your spirit free (you’re looking at nature instead of staring at TV commercials for hours)
• You are giving yourself a hobby (to talk about with your friends, discuss, research, read, improve)

So overall, gardening is a healthy investment of your time and energy on many levels, both physical and emotional. Even if it’s true that some people have “greener” hands than others, I would still encourage everyone to try gardening. If you have friends who don’t have one, invite them to your garden, and show them around, give them a few little tasks to do, cook something together with your veggies or herbs – they might appreciate it a lot.

Please write us a comment about the most beneficial thing your garden brings to you.

— Alex Lisser, Marketing Graphic Designer, Storey Publishing