Sometimes I worry that gardening is a misunderstood profession.
Most people enjoy gardens primarily for their aesthetics – floral arrangements, trimmed hedges, etc. – but gardening itself cannot be focused exclusively on beauty.
The gardener carries intimate knowledge of weather patterns, soil composition, local wildlife, and must be an expert in those before making any choices related to design. There’s a preexisting set of environmental rules which must be respected for the garden to flourish, in any form. In this way, the gardener is more similar to a mechanic than they are to a painter.
In my hometown, the University of Illinois Arboretum balances Japanese architecture with prairie plants native to the Midwestern United States. It’s a charming spot, but a few blocks away, individual residents’ gardens are what really keep me going.
Large scale projects are great, but there’s something special about the humble front yard garden. They’re eye candy for pedestrians, preventing the stale look of HOA suburbia, and they support pollinators and other critical parts of a healthy ecosystem. When compared to the alternative crabgrass lawn, front yard gardens are a no-brainer.
This summer, while visiting Palo Alto, I was pleasantly surprised to see many front yard gardens specifically geared towards water reclamation and conservation. California is well-known for their droughts, and their state department of water resources encourages water efficient landscaping. By incorporating native, drought resistant plants, residents can save on their water bill and provide a unique sense of climate-focused character to their home gardens.
My love for gardens stems from a broader appreciation of placemaking (or planning, if you prefer). A gardener is not an artist. A gardener is a careful planner, who keeps a goal in mind and deeply understands the land they work with.
We can grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, or shrubbery. We can plan a pollinator-friendly butterfly garden or build an intricate zen garden. So long as we take care, and take our time, these are all great options.
fire
“I Was Getting Back To The Car But I Stopped Because The Air Smelled Nice” slaps 💯