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Gardening for a
Good Life -
All the years I have been digging holes, trimming hedges, spreading compost or mulch and moving plants, little did I know I have been
- creating a good life.
"If you would have a mind at peace, a heart that cannot harden, find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden"
author unknown…
Even though I never get it 100 % right and still don’t know all the whys and wheres, or ever expect to, I am addicted to gardening.
“An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life.”
~ Cora Lee Bell
I plant flowers that finally get to their peak, only to see them die the next day or week; or I nurture a sapling till it is strong enough to support itself, only to find after a mean winter, a sweet bunny has used its bark (and therefore its life) to support itself.
It is a good life.
My manicurist shakes her head when I go to my appointment, and my tools are in constant need of care and repair. The knees of my trousers are ruined so perhaps it is no wonder that gardening is considered to be humbling, we spend much of it on our knees, messing about in the “dirt”.
I still plant unruly plants that take over, roses that pout and plants that cost the earth, and once in awhile, they bloom, are gorgeous and worth every penny - until a drought, or windy storm unravels my days and weeks of effort in a few minutes.
Even so, gardening is good for my soul, and now they tell me, good for my body. Who knew that when weeding, trimming bushes, pruning roses or hedges and spreading mulch produces a healthy sweat, it does more than make my flowers happy?.
Perhaps you already know that it can lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Some say that 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week can do that.
Really? THIRTY MINUTES? a day? My, my, where do those hours go?
It keeps me flexible, it tones my muscles and all that bending, pulling, lifting and digging builds up my core body strength which can protect me from having back problems and could even prevent falls. Wow… all that and a pretty garden too.
For me, it is more mentally and emotionally rewarding than slogging on a treadmill in front of a TV show that has little to offer my patience or soul.
“They” also say that gardeners tend to have smaller waistlines and weigh less…. hmm not so sure, but I am sticking to that story.
All that exercise decreases stress… imagine taking your frustrations with a co-worker or boss out on those pesky weeds. Our gardens should be weed-free in no time. Besides, I always sleep well after my time in the garden….very well.
I live in my garden -
I just sleep in the house...
Some facts for you to consider:
- PRUNING shrubs by hand- 275 cal (per hour) Whew, that is a lot of trimming!
- Or how about an hour of weeding? same calories
- While digging and planting can burn 305, I think digging for an hour is much harder than weeding and should burn a lot more calories than that, but I didn’t make up these numbers.
What I used to spend on gym memberships, I spend in my garden and know that I get more for my money, my heart and my soul.
Ah, the good life, really is in my garden.
“Fortunate are those to whom gardening is a joy.”
- author unknown
