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.

Solitary gardening?

debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
in The potting shed
Hi all, just wondering what types of gardeners you are? Solitary or social? I am a person who chats to everyone don’t have a shy bone in my body and has a wide circle of friends but I cannot abide company in the garden when actually gardening! It’s my quiet alone time and I hate anyone trying to join in or even observing me. I sometimes have to leave the allotment if people keep stopping for a chat just leave me alone’ 
How do others feel about this? Just wondering if I am an oddity or more normal than I thought. 
«134

Posts

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    edited June 2019
    Whatever floats your boat, Debs!  I have the best of both.

    My husband has no interest in gardening (except eating the produce!)  My mum who lives with us likes gardening but is too old and frail - 95 and almost blind.  So I have one who could garden if he would, and another who would garden if she could.  My husband is willing to help whenever I need some muscle, but that is all.  I never feel lonely gardening, I can always talk to God, the birds and the worms.  And passers by often stop to chat when I'm working in the front garden.

    Every Monday morning, I join a team of volunteer gardeners who look after a small public park, and I enjoy that just as much.  We are a jolly set and we chat about anything and everything while we work, as well as discussing what we're doing.  And we collect lots of appreciative comments from park users, which is very encouraging.
  • OmoriOmori Posts: 1,674
    I enjoy my husband’s company but he isn’t a gardener.  I don’t need anyone to chat to while gardening, and I wouldn’t want to invite someone else to work on my garden with me because it’s just that, my garden.  
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’m the same as @Omori. There’s no one around here for miles, I like my own company in the garden but love it when OH comes out there with me. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    I'm quite a solitary person anyway and love to garden by myself. My husband is also not really interested but will help out with jobs needing extra muscle and I do like it when he's out in the garden doing something - but only because it's a rarity - I wouldn't want him there always.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Yes help with the big stuff and heavy digging is nice, but ask the hubby to plant, not a clue.  I like him there doing his own jobs, like mowing,  pottering in his shed, but prefer to garden myself, would be hovering if anyone else touched my plants.
    As an example hubby put out the green bin last week. The front garden has an area of gravel which does get weedy. I had done it but had decided to leave some poppies,  next thing I know he comes in and announces I have helped in the garden, took up those weeds.🙄 Good job it didn't really matter  
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    I have similar feelings to most who have posted.
    I love the peace and tranquillity of working solo out there in my patch, only calling on the muscle when the job is too high/heavy/hard etc.😁

    My OH shows an interest and appreciates what I do in the garden but steers well clear of doing anything without my approval and instruction. He wouldn't know what's a weeder or a keeper.😉

    I have one daughter who likes to grow things and she will join me pottering when she's home from uni.🌱
    Her sister on the other hand likes the garden for sunbathing and parties. 😎🎉
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited June 2019
    I'm a pretty solitary person by nature, can't bear parties and all that stuff. I'm quite happy to pass the time of day with people when l 'm working in the front garden (especially when they say how nice it looks 😁), but generally l'm alone with my thoughts. If OH is around , cutting the grass or fiddling around with his grapevines we exchange the odd comment or ask if the other would like a cup of tea.
    I do talk to the blackbird and the robin, and apologise to the bees if l disturb them, but that's as sociable as l get !
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    I live alone, but the dog likes to ‘help’ sometimes.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I love company in the gardening, especially if they are helping out. I find it all a lot to do on my own, and I get dispirited by the long to do lists. Even someone sitting having a cup of tea while I do the watering makes the task go faster.
  • Hampshire_HogHampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089
    We don't get alot of people walking past then you don't with a roof terrace  o:)o:) so it's nice peaceful and undisturbed.

    At the allotment some days it seems that everyone and his dog want's to stop and chat other day's you don't see a sole this suites me just fine and I can always hide away in the polly tunnel if I want to be really miserable :)


    "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
Sign In or Register to comment.