Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Are gardeners mad?

Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
in The potting shed
I've just spent well over an hour on my hands and knees, picking individual dead leaves out of my rockery. In my defence, it was in the shade and the birds were singing overhead. I had lovingly spread fresh pea gravel and pebbles between the rocks just before our garden open days to freshen things up and didn't want all the debris to get all wet and mushy if  (as forecast) we are lucky enough to have a shower tomorrow. Does anyone else do barmy things like me?   
North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
«1

Posts

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Undoubtedly, but in a nice way  :) 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Dead-heading hiding geums on my street, with my arse in the air, trying to reach the back of a bed. A geum flower being about the size of a five pence piece. Flicking fox poo off the flowers around my street tree bed. It will be back tomorrow. Mad as a hatter.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 274
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • ChrisWMChrisWM Posts: 214
    It depends on one’s definition of madness. I’d maintain we’re the normal ones. 
    If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Cicero
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I really don't want to be 'normal' ! But then I don't think I'm mad either, don't actually think I'm a gardener - I just dig.  
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    "My neighbours recognise my bottom better than my face!"

    Me too. Or I might be sending a message to them. 'Ars Botanica!' 
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    It's a feeling that grows and changes with age. Nothing to do with madness, but more to do with time available. That is why so many grey haired gardeners abound. They always kind of liked it but had to go to work. Now we pick up leaves. I do.


    SW Scotland
  • PalaisglidePalaisglide Posts: 3,414
    Gardeners mad? Stop and think, compare yourself as you are on your knees showing you "a--e" to the world, not a bad way to comment I would say as against the modern trend.
    Buy a mass of expensive gear, go to the Gym, empty your wallet for the privilege of killing yourself on machines wearing a silly head band then swimming forty lengths because that is what you have to do, then sitting in the Cafe eating massive bacon sandwiches and drinking sugary coffee with fancy names for which you again empty your wallet. Wearing those silly watch like things that supposedly tell you when you have done 10,000 steps only to find they are as accurate as a petrol gauge in a vintage car?
    A session in the garden with some digging planting weeding or even just sitting contemplating listening to the birds and bees considering which job to do next, (yes you have a choice unlike the Gym) that is normality and as we get older we come to realise that.
    Our weekly Bowls, the Club dance, the visiting and walking around gardens or Parks or as in my neck of the woods walking on Beaches across moorlands and along the river plus our mad gardening  keeps us fit and healthy, Gym's kill you.
    So who is mad?
    Frank.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Hear hear, Frank.  Think of the money they'd save if they left the car at home, walked to the gym, didn't go in, jogged to the swimming pool, didn't go in, and ran home.  I once met a friend whom I hadn't seen for quite a while, and was amazed how much weight he'd lost, also he was very tanned.  How did you do that?  I asked.  "It was easy," he said, "I sold the car and bought a dog."
Sign In or Register to comment.