When people ask me how I got into gardening I think back to the garden I grew up in. My parents were keen gardeners and willing to involve me if I wanted that. I was offered a small patch to grow my own veg, but the truth was that I much preferred climbing trees, making dens or finding secret ways into a neighbour’s garden. The garden was a place where I was able to dream, explore and lose myself in imaginary worlds. I didn’t learn much about the plants except that I wanted to be among them for as much of the day as I could.
Lots of people have happy memories of times in a garden, but of course there are others who recall more ambivalent experiences. I’ve heard about gardens where parents retreated in the hope that children wouldn’t follow, gardens that were the place where parents argued, gardens that were never fully known because of a family’s need to repeatedly relocate and gardens that were neglected in favour of an exciting city that lay beyond.
A good garden coach will be able to teach knowledge and skills in ways that are clear and engaging. But listening to someone’s story is also fundamental for understanding their individual needs. What motivates us or obstructs us might well be informed by our early experiences and for many of us it can be a useful first step in finding out how to become the gardener we want to be.
What’s your story, and how has it led you to be the gardener you are today?
