Gardening Thoughts

 First, I must make a disclaimer and say I don't really 'do' gardening.  I'm not at all serious about it.  I spend more time puttering and arranging my pots of things rather than actually doing the big work that makes a beautiful yard.  I'm not methodical about planting.  I tend to take what I can get through divisions from my own stock or someone else's yard if offered.  

I love gardening. I'm trying to do what I can with my personal limitations.  It's not that I'm too old or too frail.  I'm strong enough but I liken it to this:  Gardening my way and gardening in the real way is a bit like the difference between walking a mile or two and running a 15k marathon.  I'm up for the former but not at all for the latter!

I have a few plants I've had in pots for years now and the soil has become compacted and hard.  This year I have the task of dividing and repotting many things. They need the old hard compacted soil broken up, the roots loosened up and some fresh soil added in to bring up the nutrient levels.  

I need that occasional spading up about my roots sometimes to give me the chance for new growth and fresh flowering.  I don't want to be so caught in my old place that I choke to death and die for lack of nutrients and room to grow.

Just because something is in a pot doesn't mean I can skip pruning.  That is as necessary for some potted plants as it is to trees and roses.   It's also true of people.  I've been through several 'pruning' stages in my lifetime when people, places, roles, were removed.  Sometimes it was a rather savage cutting back.  In others it was just a gentle removal of deadwood, but all allowed for a greater period of growth and renewal...but not until after I was over the shock of it all!

I've learned that some things grow really well together, in fact, lots of plants enjoy a companion or two but they must be equal in needs of water, sun, and growth habits.  

Aren't those things also true of us?   I'd love to say we're not persnickety about our living conditions but let me ask you a quiet question: how many times have you left someone's home following a visit and said out loud, "I couldn't live like that!  It's fine for them but I'd go nuts!"?  Or you simply felt super depressed by the atmosphere of a home, or super hyped up by it?  How many times have you felt like you were shrinking into yourself while someone else appeared to be thriving?  

Do we as humans have to be exactly matched?  No, no more than all the plants in a pot must all be of the same type.  It's often our differences that make us better individuals.  When we can share an experience without reacting to it exactly the same, we've still shared an experience, haven't we?  Sometimes the differences can be something like my marriage to John.  He's naturally sunny and cheerful and extroverted.  The man has never met anyone he couldn't talk to and he just assumes what he wants to talk about is of as much interest to you as it is to him.  Me?  Shy. An Introvert.  Prone to enjoying solo activities.  I carry on conversations all the time...with myself.  And seemingly that's about all the company I require most days!   I can appear to be outgoing but inside I'm calculating exactly how long I have to keep being chatty and cheerful and polite before I can move along, find a quiet corner and recuperate.

However, learning to be polite in the morning and accept the fact, graciously, that my husband is going to be chatty and cheerful even if I haven't punched the button on the coffee machine yet has bettered me as a human.  It has.   Carrying along a book when he's going to stop somewhere that I typically wouldn't go into, means he can chat to his heart's content.  I'm happily occupied in the car or in a far away corner and I don't mind a bit.  

But it's still true that people, like plants, must be of the sort who appreciate a similar climate, similar conditions and have similar enough needs to thrive in a relationship.  John and I share those qualities with the difference that he can and will happily live with light 24 hours a day, sleeping with lights on even, but I cannot.  I really need those separated hours of light and dark.

Anyway, there you have my morning musings upon gardening and growth!