5 life lessons gardening has taught me
Did you ever think you could apply gardening analogies to real life? Well, apparently you can! Here’s how I reflected on my love for gardening and how I applied it to my own life.
1. Be patient – Plants do not produce flowers and fruits overnight. It takes days, weeks, and if growing from a seedling, months of constant watering and sun exposure before growth starts to happen. Yes, you can buy fully fledged plants from garden centers, but where’s the fun in that! It is important to understand that gardening is a waiting game, just like life. In today’s world where we can connect with our friends in mere seconds and order products that can be on our doorstep in less than an hour, we are losing the ability to be patient. Sometimes, we have to play the long game in order to get what we want. This could be studying for an exam or weight loss etc. However, knowing you have worked hard and been consistent with your efforts can result in rewards and success tastes all the sweeter for it. In contrast, this leads me nicely to my next point.
2. Not all of your hard work will lead to success – Imagine you spend up to an hour researching the perfect soil conditions to grow your olive tree in, buy all of the necessary feed to help it flourish, and spend a lot of time nurturing your pride and joy, only for the surrounding soil to become waterlogged by the unpredictable British weather and resulting in the leaves turning brown. This was just one example of what happened to me and of course, it’s infuriating. I tried my best and it still resulted in ‘failure’ per se. However, life is unpredictable. We can try our best to plan everything perfectly to result in success, but sometimes things just happen that are out of control, like the weather. The important thing is, in gardening and in life, is that you try regardless and you keep on trying, despite setbacks.
3. Appreciate the little things – I sometimes forget the simplicity of growing plants. Although on a microscopic and biological level the process is pretty complex (Anyone who took A-Level biology will appreciate this), on a practical level, it isn’t. You dig a hole in the ground, plant your seeds/plants, cover up the roots, and water them in. That’s basically it in theory. Yes, there are other factors involved such as the weather and soil conditions – as I have mentioned previously, but that is not the point I am trying to make. My point is that watching plants grow and bloom can result in happiness. In the grand scheme of things, one plant is not a big deal. However, the joy it can bring to your life is priceless. Sometimes in life, we’re so focused on the next thing, we forget to look around to appreciate what we already have. The next time you feel disappointed or sad about your current life situation, look outside in your garden or go for a walk to appreciate the plants. It will ground you and make you realise that you can enjoy your life and garden as they are right now.
4. Nothing blooms all year round – Plants have growing periods, which are usually between spring and autumn because of the warmer weather. In the colder months, they essentially rest, with some species shedding flowers and leaves in preparation for the next season. This is pretty common knowledge and is something we do not question as humans, we just let plants be. So, if we can accept that plants cannot grow and bloom all year round, why can’t we do that for ourselves? In order for us to be our best selves, it is essential we also rest and shed anything in our lives that no longer serve us.
5. Welcome the rain – As much as plants need sunlight and we as humans love the feeling of the sun on our skin, a constant forecast of sunshine will not result in growth. No plant can survive without water. Even tropical plants and succulents can only survive several months before they too need a drink. After long periods of sun exposure, plants welcome the rain, and we should too. You’re not going to wake up every day feeling happy and glowing, just like sunshine. Some days, the rain is inevitable. However, without the rain, how would we know the blessings of the sun? Just like plants, humans need the sun and the rain to keep growing.
I hope the relatability of this article was useful for some of you and left you with a bit of a smile on your face. Please feel free to share this with family and friends, or with anyone you think needs to hear this right now. Please know that you are doing amazing and the world is a better place because of you. Keep growing and keep blooming.
