A gardener's confession ...

I have a confession to make today. I have written hundreds of gardening articles touting the financial and health benefits of gardening. They are all true and backed up with actual statistics, like gardening will save the average American $600 a year on the grocery bill and that gardening may reduce your chances of getting dementia or Alzheimer's by between 36 and 47 percent.  If you are interested in the practical side of gardening, you might be interested in reading these articles..

But, the truth is: None of this has anything to do with why I garden. I garden because I love how plants look. I love how they smell. I love the fresh scent of earth beneath my feet and the gentle flow of flowers swaying in the breeze. I love butterflies and hummingbirds that dart through my garden.

I love early mornings when the first rays of sun hit unfolded buds and I love the orange-gold glow that envelopes my garden at dusk. I love the sweet fragrance of herbs under a moonlight sky. And I love to watch things grow. 

My favorite summer retreat is my garden chair where I sit and watch my garden as day turns to dusk. Leaves rustling in the wind and the evening hum of hummingbirds as they bid the feeder goodnight are music to my soul. 


Gardening may save money, ward off disease and provide vitamins and minerals to fuel the body, but for me, gardening isn't about saving money or the food it produces. It's about a closeness to the earth that feeds the soul.


                                                             Until next time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!