Natural Beauty: Why you should be gardening

There's something to be said about getting your hands dirty. To look at a creation and think, "I did that". I have recently unearthed (pun intended) such satisfaction by getting back to my roots (again, just had to do it) and finding solace in the garden. 

As the daughter of a landscape designer and certified garden addict, it was really inevitable that I would find myself drawn to the joy of gardening. For a long time I was more the "low maintenance" type of gardener, and by that I mean that I wanted the plants in the ground stat, to see them grow quickly then have to do little more than provide a bit of water from time to time. There was no consideration of using the plants as materials in an ever-changing artwork. 

I have realised that the act of gardening is completely counter-cultural. It forces us to slow down, to be patient and to realise that often joy comes in the waiting and watching. 

Living on the coast, my choices for plants are somewhat limited and while I might dream of a cutting garden that provides me with an abundance of floral delights, their delicate nature is not made for the brutalities of the salt and sand.

As I plan "what next" for our landscape, let me share some of the gardens currently inspiring me. 

This coastal garden by Brett Robinson of Acre.

The point isn't perfection, but play. Find a pot, select one plant you love and start there. Celebrate simple.