What My Garden Gives Me

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This spring has been full of guests — friends and family coming to stay, or simply dropping by for lunch or dinner. It’s such a beautiful time of year to open the doors, set a table outside, and share the simple joy of being in the garden.

As we wander through the paths, wine glass in hand, guests often stop and say, “This must be so much work! How do you do it?” But last week, someone asked me something different. A friend — not especially into gardening himself — looked around and said, “Tell me, what does this give you? What does your garden actually bring to you?”

I loved that question because it made me stop and think.

Creativity
I have a full schedule, and like many people, I don’t get as much time as I’d like to paint or draw. But in the garden, I’ve found a new outlet for creativity. I experiment with colour combinations, shapes, and heights; I test out new planting ideas I’ve seen in other gardens. Some of them work, some don’t — and that’s all part of the fun. It’s a creative space where failure is just part of the process, and nothing is ever wasted.

Patience
Patience has never come naturally to me — I tend to like quick results. But in the garden, time moves differently. I’m quite happy to plant a new tree and say to myself, “In ten years, this is going to be beautiful.” I redesign borders knowing they’ll take seasons to knit together. I find joy in imagining how things will look and watching that slow transformation take place.

Connection
Although gardening is often a solitary task, it’s surprisingly social. There’s the pleasure of sharing the garden with friends and family, of course — setting a table under the trees, or handing guests a pair of secateurs and inviting them to snip their own bouquet. But there’s also the camaraderie with fellow gardeners: swapping ideas, cuttings, seeds, and stories at the local plant fair. Even my weekly chats with the young gardener who helps me here are full of learning and shared enthusiasm.

Food
Then there’s the potager. Growing our own food brings us so much joy. We really stepped this up during the pandemic, and my husband discovered that he liked gardening too! Since then, we both find that planning the layout, tending to seedlings, and finally picking the first tomatoes, beans, or heads of lettuce is deeply satisfying. The taste is better, of course — but it’s more than that. Just wandering down the garden to ‘pick lunch’ is lovely.

Colour
And finally — colour! Colour therapy may sound fanciful, but it’s real. I have my office at home, and when the emails get too intense, I slip out from behind my desk and wander the garden. Just seeing so much color lifts my mood instantly. I love snipping big handfuls of blooms to bring indoors. Filling the house with scent and colour is one of the happiest rituals of the season.

So yes, the garden does take work — even for a garden like ours, which is a passion project, but never perfect. But it gives back tenfold. Creativity, patience, connection, food, colour… and a deep sense of contentment. For me, that’s more than enough reason to keep planting.

What does your garden (or favorite outdoor space) give you? I’d love to hear what brings you peace, joy, or inspiration in your own corner of the world. Share with me in the comments below.