I like working in my garden alone though, with only the sounds of nature to accompany me. Having someone to chat to would not be welcome - if I can hear neighbours or builders/workers nearby, I’ll go out walking instead of gardening!
Ditto, except I can usually zone out of nearby noise (except my next-door-but-one neighbour's petrol mower which drives me indoors or even out-out). I prefer not to have anyone around so if someone wanted to chat, I would not be gardening. Funnily enough though, when I do my volunteer gardening day locally we (the volunteers) chat pretty much non-stop and that feels fine. It's less of an all-absorbing, meditative experience and more like sheer graft most of the time, so companionable chat keeps me going for longer.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Sharing garden knowledge is always rewarding for both the receiver and the giver too. Filling your mind with positive acts of kindness can help with both physical and mental pain.
I should add that the reason I gave the details in my post above is that I think, increasingly, that I would not bother with all the (ornamental) gardening if it were just for me; in the way that I enjoy cooking less and less, if it's just for me.
OH doesn't care about the garden really, but since I have allowed ham radio antennas in it he does the heavy lifting, and, because of my back a lot of the weeding recently. I have total control of what plants go where and so it will continue.
I do all of the gardening by myself, which I admit I do enjoy. I love to step out and listen to birdsong and just potter about no matter what time of year. The other day my daughter made me laugh, she came down to the bottom of the garden where I was working and said 'do you know, I have watched you out in this garden for years and I still don't know what you do out here!'
We both garden, together and separately at times. She has a better eye for design and placement of plants, I am more practical about what will grow . I do the heavier jobs, we both prune and maintain. I do the Allotments 99% of the time.
My wife hasn't bothered with the garden since the kids came along. We used to make a pretty good team and she was always better at the flowers and keeping up with growing from seed, potting on etc. I still have my two little hinderers to deal with though. Over the weekend I cleaned all the decking and started a big clear up and organise job that's going to take weeks to complete. They were busy digging a muddy hole in the lawn to make a 'duck pond' and piled the mud on the nice clean decking.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
@Meomye Just before I moved house after thirty five years my neighbour made the same comment. 'Not sure what you find to do in your front garden.' Pottering and tweaking of course!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
In the 1950s before I was born my grandad won the local gardening competition 5 years on the trot. Each year he was awarded a big returnable trophy and a rose bowl to keep. On his 5th win he got to keep the trophy. I’ve still got one of his rosé bowls. Unfortunately the pictures have all been lost.
I started gardening when I was 14 in his smaller garden, helping him out as he got older and less able and there began my life long interest. Fuelled by copious amounts of my Grans tattles and mince I learned how to plant seeds, mow the lawn, grow veg and make compost.
These days I do my garden and my wife does the houses interior. I help with the house work of course but have learned not to hold my breath waiting for reciprocal weeding.
This arrangement works well for us because it’s where our respective interests lie which is just as well because I’d hate anyone interfering with my garden. As far as that aspect of my life goes, planting by committee is not for me and I’m definitely not a team player.
wild edges said:I still have my two little hinderers to deal with though. Over the weekend I cleaned all the decking and started a big clear up and organise job that's going to take weeks to complete. They were busy digging a muddy hole in the lawn to make a 'duck pond' and piled the mud on the nice clean decking.
Oh how exciting! When are the ducks arriving?
I do pretty much all aspects of gardening on my own. But my better half will kindly give a helping hand with very heavy things if I ask. He was most helpful when I could not get that last infuriating vertical root cut under the root ball of a very big old pyracantha I removed last year. And also helped to get the new elaeagnus I had grown on to replace the above ( it was huge!) out of its pot and into the ground.
He also sorts the stupid online thing of having to book a timed slot for the tip, and helps to take the stuff that I cannot compost there. That used to be a job I did on my own as and when needed.
He spends some time outside photographing various things so we spend some time together in the garden, which is nice. Especially if there are plants, flowers, leaves, bugs etc he can use. So I like growing things he can use as well as the wild life. I think it goes hand in hand
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Funnily enough though, when I do my volunteer gardening day locally we (the volunteers) chat pretty much non-stop and that feels fine. It's less of an all-absorbing, meditative experience and more like sheer graft most of the time, so companionable chat keeps me going for longer.
I should add that the reason I gave the details in my post above is that I think, increasingly, that I would not bother with all the (ornamental) gardening if it were just for me; in the way that I enjoy cooking less and less, if it's just for me.
Luxembourg
I do the Allotments 99% of the time.
These days I do my garden and my wife does the houses interior. I help with the house work of course but have learned not to hold my breath waiting for reciprocal weeding.
This arrangement works well for us because it’s where our respective interests lie which is just as well because I’d hate anyone interfering with my garden. As far as that aspect of my life goes, planting by committee is not for me and I’m definitely not a team player.
I do pretty much all aspects of gardening on my own.
But my better half will kindly give a helping hand with very heavy things if I ask.
He was most helpful when I could not get that last infuriating vertical root cut under the root ball of a very big old pyracantha I removed last year. And also helped to get the new elaeagnus I had grown on to replace the above ( it was huge!) out of its pot and into the ground.
He also sorts the stupid online thing of having to book a timed slot for the tip, and helps to take the stuff that I cannot compost there. That used to be a job I did on my own as and when needed.
He spends some time outside photographing various things so we spend some time together in the garden, which is nice. Especially if there are plants, flowers, leaves, bugs etc he can use. So I like growing things he can use as well as the wild life.
I think it goes hand in hand