Why do we Garden?
As Tracy DiSabato-Aust has shown us in the Wayside Gardens Collector's Edition 2007, design is a very important part of creating the perfect garden. Aesthetics is what draws many of us to horticulture, and for many it is the most significant reason to have a garden. Whether it is the untamed beauty of a lush tropical garden or the trim excellence if a well-planned estate lawn, the colors, shapes, and textures inspire us and motivate us to keep growing.
Humans seems to have a strong fascination with technology, mastery over nature and an unquenchable desire to know and experiment. There have been hypotheses that our tendency to gaze into a fire or for children to play with it are left over from ancient instincts that drove us to experiment with cooking and ensured the survival and expansion of our species. If this is true, maybe the awe inspired by the sight of a beautiful flower or the unending urge for some of us to plant and grow despite being engulfed in technological advancement and convenience is something a little bigger than a hobby. Maybe it is a part of who we are, and ages ago, it kept us interested enough to learn how to grow our own food and stop foraging.
Just a thought.
