Gardening as therapy.
It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
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Do you use recycling of objects in your garden, and if so, how and what kind of objects? Cement blocks, cement chunks, glass, etc.
Do you ever make your own containers, such as in the hypertufa process? Do you use specialized techniques such as espaliering? Do you make your own fences, including such historical fences as wattle fences? Have you ever tried a "living fence?"
Now a days I have to hire someone to do that work for me... the fellow I hire twice a year and his crew do an outstanding job.... this guy is an "artist" when it comes to trimming anything green. His OCD kick in :) Well worth every penny spent, and makes me smile whenever I drive up to my house.
If my sig other had his way, everything would be grass, dried up grass with the lack of good rains here. Thank goodness not everyone thinks that way !!
Takes me about 3 hours to mow with the tractor and I weed whack to some degree but I'm killing off the weeds/grass around the deck, raised beds and outbuildings with a salt and vinegar mixture ... I will NOT use chemicals.
I can relate to each post on here. I feel an attachment to the land and plants. I love getting my hands into the soil, handling the plants, trimming, and creating a work of art sometimes by the way I plant and trim and combine elements in the gardens. I love using color, especially plants that are colorful year round without blooming. That's my and my husband's latest fun pursuit. Cordylines (Hawaiian ti plants) are great for this. So are certain crotons. We can get soft, similar shades or brilliant dissimilar combined colors in specific heights that we want or control.
I can empathize with fregflyer in that we must hire help due to our own health limitations. I remember not so long ago spending long days in the yard. I'd even work into the night using our outside lighting to finish up a job. I didn't need to see perfectly because I knew my plants and beds well.
Sounds like you are living my fantasy, but I made the decision that I don't want a place where I have to work so hard to keep it going as I get older, and of course I have my mom to look after for now. I never did get to keep any farmyard chickens, be sure to pick some pretty ones!
Flyer:
I understand your frustration. Been there, trying not to do it, and still fighting!
It's difficult to want to garden but not have the time or be able to. Sometimes I satisfy that need by reading more gardening magazines and creating more garden plans.
Still, it's not the same as being outside in the air, feeling the soft breath of the wind, watching the butterflies, and seeing the occasional feline visitor stalking or swatting insects.
As we sometimes tell our parents, as we age we reach a transitional stage at which we have to consider becoming the manager rather than the doer. But we can still enjoy someone else's work (without incurring the backaches and soreness that we get).
Maybe you can buy some perennials and have your landscaper put them in for you? With mulch, there would hardly even be any weeding.
You could still sit outside and enjoy the beauty of the yard, but let someone else do all the work.
I never have and probably never will see the attraction of massive lawns. For years I've been planning to dig up and compost the sod and put in flowering ground covers instead. It's a major effort though.
Cwillie:
I think you've summarized one of the fascinating and rewarding aspects of gardening - changing soil from grass or just ordinary soil into something very productive, rewarding and nourishing.
Once those seeds are in, I check almost daily for sprouts, and it's soooo exciting when a little green sprout peeps up through the soil. There's a reward that comes from growing things, whether flowers, veggies, fruits or herbs, that is intrinsically rewarding. In fact, I think it's basic to human nature.
I too used to want to become a professional gardener, but realistically I thought of all the physical work and wasn't sure I would be up to it. It's one thing to garden whenever you feel like it but another to have to do it for pay, on someone else's schedule.
You know, there are ways you can maximize your smaller lot by using vertical gardening. Have you ever seen some of the living fences? They're extraordinary!
You're living my dream, and perhaps the dream of many of us who love the outdoors. You've done a lot since you're moved in, making the yard your special garden - a real dream come true, but a dream made possible by your own hard work. Is this a retirement project now?
Rhubarb can work well in breads; my mother had a great recipe. I think we also made some rhubarb bars, something like brownies. Somewhere I have her recipes....
Brambles are also great producers. One year my raspberry plot produced 35 quarts of berries! They took up probably a whole shelf in the freezer and I had raspberries for the next few years.
There are some new raspberry and blueberry varieties that are specifically adapted to containers. I'm thinking of trying them; raspberries are easy to care for through once a year pruning, but they do tend to wander as branches self root.
Are all of your 2 acres mowable? Do you use the clippings for mulch and/or compost? Do you plan to expand your garden?
Sounds like you're in quite a rural area with farmers who sell to neighbors and others. That's such a great way to buy, so much fresher and healthier than "food" in the supermarkets, not to mention the fact that in a rural area you probably don't have to deal with smog and can actually see stars at night.
Do you ever use a dehydrator to dry any of your produce?
Back later; I'm getting the urge to sort out leftover seeds and start planning for next year!
There's ivy climbing the walls elsewhere. Some variegated pothos also. I love how the pothos is weaving between the plant beds around the front entrance and filling every nook and cranny with it's presence. It's creeping up an artificial plant next to the front door and will make it look more like a real one. Yay! It creeps everywhere and looks good! It peeks out from smaller crotons, poinsettias, ground orchids, multiple ferns, peacock something-or-others and more and gives a finished look like little trailing plants or baby's breath does to professional bouquets.
It's amazing how many unsolicited compliments we get when our landscaping seems to be a little out of control...we think it's time for a trim everywhere...yet that's when other people are most complimentary about it! I sort of understand it. I like the beautiful and lush but somewhat wild growth look also.
Cwillie, I had been wondering at first what an enterprise yard was. Sounded like a nice new fancy term for those massive acres devoted to nothing but lawn.
I'm still wondering how the British estate owners in the 1800s managed to keep their huge lawns clipped. Or did they let the sheep graze there?
Yes, I know the plants that tolerate salt air. Fortunately we can plant a lot of other, more appealing plants, too. We are in zone 10. I'd still like any info you have. You never know, there might be something good in the info.
I've lived here all my life and have seen a lot of property and plants. I've done a lot of research, too.
Thanks for starting this topic. A GREAT idea!! The link didn't work for me, though. I did a look up in the search box.
I can sympathize with your situation. One day I or both I and my husband will have to downsize and have a smaller garden, too. We used to maintain our current one but now have to have hired help to keep up. Our health limits us. When I was out buying plants, I used to get requests from people to do their landscaping. I was surprised but liked the idea. I considered it, but decided against it because I didn't think my body could do it for long and I learned from a pro that the majority of customers don't properly water after you do your landscaping job and your work is dead in about 6 months. Happy gardening to you!
Sue, do you get Fine Gardening? If not, I'll get some info for you later on. It has regional sections with recommendations for various plants, but the source of the salt air plants was actually a program on Victory Garden.
No, I don't. The info would be welcome! I'll see what I can track down on Victory Garden, thank you.
The plant begets 1 new plant after blooming and then it dies. I wanted to share the plants but I will never have extras. I can't complain because they are gorgeous when they bloom! A nice little plus to the garden.
It's way out in the country, surrounded by fields and forest, nearest niehgbour a mile away. The house I can gradually get fixed up, the surroundings I can't replace. With two dogs, one a terrorist (terrier) and four cats the mousies etc. have taken a hike. Over the past couple of years I've splurged for new windows, siding and insulation, along with 158 cedars around the perimeter to stop the wind.
I bought it with a view to, as I get older, creakier and crankier, I'd be able to manage a lot on my own. It's one floor, two steps down and outside either way and I had the enormous jetted (jets didn't work) replaced with a shower. Year 3 now and the renovations will be mostly completed before the snow flies. The house is all electric and over time I've gained a wood stove and a huge wired in generator which will run most of the house, along with the freezers.
I've recently acquired a super handyman to help with things I can't do or lift but most things around here are geared to my getting older and physical issues ... like rainwater collection barrels for the veggies and flowers and raised beds because I don't bend well.
Yes it's been a lot of hard work, sweat and tears but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I'm home and my soul is at peace.
Your property sounds wonderful! if I had better health I'd be jealous! You're living the dream of many people. I know you've put a lot of hard work into your place to make your own dream come true. It's satisfying, isn't it? I understand you so well when you say your soul is at peace...and I'm so glad for you. May you always enjoy your home and that peace.
The next door neighbor has 3 cats, 2 of which have adopted my garden as their primary recreation site. The older cat is a Tortoiseshell, a beautifully colored cat that was friendly and sweet when I first met her but has become more distanced as she's been allowed to roam freely. The younger cat is also a beautiful almost year old kitten of sleek black coloring.
Just a few moments ago I noticed the Tortoiseshell leading the Midnight cat across the yard, back into the garden and down the center path. I thought it was so sweet, elder sister teaching the younger one how to explore, navigate, probably hunt and have some fun in the garden.
Midnight was following Tortoiseshell, then suddenly Tortoiseshell stopped, crouched and went into hunting mode. I thought this was so cute, teaching the younger one how to hunt the various delicacies hiding amidst the foliage in the garden.
Then just as suddenly the Tortoiseshell turned and chased Midnight out of the yard. Midnight scampered out, hid somewhere, and hasn't yet emerged from her sanctuary.
I had thought this was to be a trip of sisterly love and teaching, but apparently Tortoiseshell wants to keep the garden for herself.
It was stunning though to see these two beautifully colored cats sauntering down the center path, surrounded by variations of green on every side.
Hopefully they'll make up this afternoon and I'll get to see them together again.
Anyone else have any feline visitors to your garden?
Then, there is this feral cat, most likely a relative of the one I rescued years ago.
He/she eats at a neighbor's house, then comes on over to poop. Smelly. Not finding a solution to this offending issue with the cat, thinking I will make it a friend and just pick up poop daily, and I don't own a cat or dog. Headed for trouble and heartache, making a cat a friend, but getting desperate here.
No treats, really, no treats, that is a rule! Going through another phase when what happens is dogs, cats, children, and lizards think I am their friend. No treats here! Maybe just a water bowl.
I don't have much wildlife visiting here in town except tree rats (squirrels), but on the farm we had lots of racoons and skunks, neither of which were welcome, and in the morning there were often coyote tracks around the house. One summer we had a fox who visited often until she got into the neighbours chickens, and the year before we left I was thrilled to be visited by a turkey hen and her brood of little ones.