What Are They Really Saying?

What are They Really Saying?

How often have each of us said “I would do this or that if ••••••” ? Do we really mean that statement as factual or are we actually conveying something totally different? This is a subject that probably can not be addressed without ruffling feathers, so in true blogging style I’m not going to intentionally try to upset anyone but if it does it does.

I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I’ve heard words. I myself have been guilty of it on more occasions than I care to think about. When I hear from folks “I would love to garden if •••••••” I can’t help but wonder - “what are they REALLY saying”? There are certain truths about humanity in general that are fact and can not be escaped.

1. Every human on earth is given the same 24 hours in every day. What we fill them with is our decision to make, based on our priorities in life.

2. As humans, we fill our time with what is most important to us at that given moment.

3. For the vast majority of people we find a way to afford what is most important to us at that time.

Whether or not this upsets some folks is irrelevant as it in no way changes these truths. So why do more folks say they wish to garden but fail to do so? Is it a lack of understanding what gardening truly is? An admission that the actual act of gardening holds a lesser place of importance in their lives but wish not to admit it openly? A conscious denial of the fact that they really do not understand where to begin? A pre-conceived misconception of the time requirements to garden? An unspoken desire to fit in with the topic of a conversation? What?

The fact is that gardening is an endeavor of passion and not everyone possesses that passion. While the diversity of gardening is so vast that nearly everyone can find an area of passion within this fantastic arena, it still remains that not everyone could ever possess it. This is a matter of individuality. Individuality is something to be proud of and should have no shame attached to it.

Another grave misconception is that gardening must involve hours of sweaty, back-breaking labor under a hot sun in the middle of summer. As stated earlier - misconception. In fact, most ardent gardeners will make a conscious effort to retreat from heat of the day to a cooler environment. We have learned to take advantage of the naturally cooler parts of the day. True gardeners have also learned to scale our gardens to such a size, type and method as to not require that we work in the heat of the day.

“I don’t have time”. What a bunch of “Male Bovine Fertilizer”! How many hours per week or day do we spend in front of the television or other non-productive endeavor? The fact is that with the right practices, installations, tools and a smidgen of proper planning, gardening can take but a few minutes per day and yet allow us to reap fantastic results with little effort or time on our part.

Yet another I have heard often is that “I don’t have a yard or space to garden”. Here again - misconception. With the advent of “Hydroponics”, containers of every conceivable type and size and “artificial light gardening”, virtually everyone who truly desires to can enjoy getting their hands dirty, fresh vegetables and flowers in any location or setting.

Lastly, I have heard over and over again - “I am not physically able to garden”. Big misconception unless perhaps you are a quadriplegic or worse. Even then, I believe that a person could probably find a way to enjoy gardening in some form. Experience in a nursing home has taught me that even folks with very limited mobility and mental deficiency issues can enjoy gardening if provided with facilities and a means that meets their individual needs. Raised beds, containers, paved surfaces and specialized tools are all available today in great quantity and diversity so that virtually everyone who wishes to can enjoy the benefits of gardening.

So when a person says to you “I would garden but •••••••” ask them “what are you really saying”?

The “Hillbilly Gardener”