Author Topic: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?  (Read 1434 times)

Alfred

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is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« on: Jan 17, 2020, 02:38:16 PM »
Although we have some way to go before we hope fully get a lovely long hot summer, I think many of us including myself at times look at and think about what next to do or plant in the garden as we like the garden to look its best ,

so apart from once the season has hope fully  arrived , the regular grass cutting and pruning begins,
then most likely in some places do a little land scaping, as well,

Q; so is having a garden therapeutic or simply hard work , either way what do you do to your garden once our summer has finally arrived and what's the first thing you think about before you roll up your sleeves,...…….will you let us into your thoughts, ?
 

GrannyMac

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 17, 2020, 02:54:02 PM »
Therapeutic Alfred. I'm enjoying looking at the spring bulbs peeping through atm. Just glad we've only a small garden these days. 
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sparky

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 17, 2020, 03:02:18 PM »
I wait until the grass and weeds get so high, that even the lions and tigers cannot move around easily, then I get my bloke in to  a blitz cutback. the only bit of gardening I have ever done, was grass cutting on a  ride on mower in my previous bungalow, and the only reason I did that was because my late  wife who loved gardening was afraid of using our  mower.

zoony

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 17, 2020, 03:13:02 PM »
The front and side is neat and tidy and kept that way due to a sense of working-class respect for my neighbours. The back has been rewilding for a year or two now and is enjoyable to watch as such. I prefer it as it is now to the neat, tidy, unnatural, boring and hard work that it's been for so long..
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

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Ashy

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 17, 2020, 04:14:03 PM »
I would say somewhere between the two. Good exercise when you want it, hard work when you don't, and a nuisance if you have other things to do.

klondike

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 17, 2020, 04:58:12 PM »
I'm afraid I have rather brown fingers so my gardening is limited to following orders doing the sweaty bits.

I have learned how to identify weeds though. If when you pull it up it breaks off and later regrows then that is a weed. If it comes out clean as a whistle with zero chance of regrowing then that was a flower. If when you take a step back and tread on something crushing it then that was the head gardeners favourite flower.
So long and thanks for all the fish

Ashy

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 17, 2020, 05:13:31 PM »
I stopped trying to grow flowers and decided to cultivate the weeds instead.

klondike

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 17, 2020, 05:20:32 PM »
I've block paved mine and still get a good crop.
So long and thanks for all the fish

zoony

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 17, 2020, 05:38:34 PM »
 I hope it's porous block paving K?
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.

klondike

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 17, 2020, 05:49:50 PM »
No puddles. It either goes down the cracks or through the blocks. I have to use a heat wand to get shot of the weeds as weedkiller leaves an ugly residue. Takes an age.

It used to be all pots but the last two summers took a heavy toll. We aren't there to water and a timed watering system I had got a really bad leak. I calculated that it must have enriched Anglia Water by at least £100. I've removed some for trees and bushes now as being in the soil will hopefully let them survive.
So long and thanks for all the fish

richmond62

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 17, 2020, 06:43:38 PM »
Definitely therapeutic.

My Mum (pushing 90) was gardening until about 6 months ago, and now she has a gardener she's working off a lot of steam
bossing him around!

Jacqueline

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 17, 2020, 06:54:56 PM »
I love gardens but hate gardening, I'd like to wander round the garden with a wicked basket gathering flowers whilst the gardner does the hard work. 


Until they come through I don't know a weed from a flower.  We have nearly an acre plot, husband has a ride on mower which helps.  There are shrubs round the edge but the weeds are stronger than the plants, if you got prizes for weeds I'd win first prize.  It's hard work, I dont find it enjoyable but it looks good when it's done.  I do like my little rose garden plot by the house though and my non stop Begonias in pots.


Ashy

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #12 on: Jan 17, 2020, 07:06:29 PM »
I discussed this with our gardener, and my wife wanted to know why I was talking to myself.

Raven

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #13 on: Jan 17, 2020, 07:12:10 PM »
I am starting to find it takes me longer these days, but I now do an hour or so in the afternoon or early evening. It's cutting the 3 big lawns that I hate, I'm wiped out by the time I've done them and always go and have a long shower afterwards, then put my feet up for an hour or so.

zoony

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Re: is having a garden theraputic or simply hard work.?
« Reply #14 on: Jan 17, 2020, 07:17:53 PM »
You can buy a robot lawn mower for less than £200 nowadays..If you insist on shearing it you may as well take it easy yourself.. ;)
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.