Blog in Plain Text
Gardening With Intention
Spending time with my hands in the dirt has quickly become one of my most passionate hobbies as a young adult. There isn’t much for me to dislike. I get to sit outside and listen to the birds and sway of the trees. The sun kisses my shoulders and invites my freckles. Bugs! So many bug friends. Most importantly, I get the opportunity to grow something with a purpose much bigger than most other hobbies I partake in.
There lies the key. The purpose!
After a year and a half of being a provisional gardener, I have learned one of the best skills a budding gardener can have is intention. Many times I would take a trip to the nursery and pickup plants I had no second thought or true regard for. No research went into my purchases and it often left me with disgraced, dead plants that never stood a chance.
2024 is the first year I am cultivating my garden with a plan, a goal, and a purpose. I anticipate a stronger feeling of success come fall when all my crops have yielded their share, as the milestones I reach in the prior months will more accurately reflect my drive.
At the core, my intention is always to successfully grow bountiful plants through my journey in horticulture. Not too many people garden with the hope their plant withers away. So while success is a great and common intention, I have taken it upon myself to nail down a few more intentional reasons for investing myself in the garden.
Stress relief is a huge contributor to the success rate my garden has. I spend ample amounts of time in my garden, simply studying and observing, because it provides me with an all natural form of stress and anxiety relief. In a world where productivity is often associated with instant gratification, I find taking my time to watch the garden unfold slowly day by day, month by month, to not only be a breath of fresh air but also even more fulfilling when I see results. It is also worth noting the many different studies taking place to gain insight on the benefits of certain bacteria living within healthy soil. Ania Ocasio writes a compelling article for The Synapse Magazine, an intercollegiate science magazine, which details the findings of bacteria living in soil as it relates to their ability to reduce stress, anxiety, and sickness amongst people. Not only is gardening good for your mental health, but it can actually reflect back on your physical wellbeing too.
My newest goal for the garden I’m curating in 2024 is to ensure I have personal use for each plant I’m growing and tending to. While I’d love to say there is a great reason for me to invest time in taking care of a Shameplant, otherwise known as a Sensitive Plant, there really is no way I can justify the resources it would take to allow one to thrive in my space. Strawberries and potatoes on the other hand? I cannot wait to eat those up in the coming months - therefore I am more determined than ever to give both those plants the necessary time and love to grow and produce for me.
If your love language is being gifted small items, then this intention is for you. I love growing plants I know other people will enjoy! I don’t particularly enjoy tomatoes, but I know my mom does. It makes growing them all the more enjoyable knowing she will be able to taste the homegrown goodness I’ve plucked from my garden. Likewise, germinating a few extra seeds to ensure I have enough viable plants to fill my garden and then some is important to me because I’ve found many friends have enjoyed taking care of their adopted plants from my small little greenhouse in the early summer! Once my small space has been filled, the rest of my tiny little babies get rehomed to those who wish to have a little piece of my garden with them for the season.
Gardening is the gift that keeps on giving, regardless of your reasons for growing. If nothing else, I hope to instill the value behind intention no matter what it is you are doing.
