I am quite passionate about gardening. It is a lifelong pursuit, but one which I have not properly mastered. There are several blogs on the internet that reference my many garden mistakes. I would never claim to master this craft, or hobby, or whatever you would call it. But I do have a toolkit and some stunts up my sleeves, which make it look like I am smarter than I am. 

My Gardening Experience

I have professional experience gardening. I had a little landscape business, worked for years as a gardener on a high brow private estate, have studied the practice, and even have a certificate in gardening. Yet none of this can predict the capriciousness of the many gardening influences. Bugs, weeds, disease, Mother Nature. These are but a few of the ways gardening and nature can come into a bitter clash. 

Confucius wrote, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” That sums up gardening in my mind. It would be utter folly, not to mention arrogance, to think that I of all people have mastered gardening. I’m quite sure that many of my fellow writers at Gardening Know How are much more mastered at the practice, but that isn’t the whole of it. Gardening is an ever changing, evolving art. Garden mistakes happen, but seasonal changes, weather patterns, and many more gardening influences can change the outcome of something that was once simple and straightforward. 

Take this past year’s veggie garden, for instance. I have had full, verdant, lush, productive gardens for decades. This year I was foiled by a bad bug season, as well as invasive weeds. We are fighting a deer problem in our little orchard. The weather is much different than my previous garden zones. Gardening and nature are in a constant combative state. It’s almost laughable that I am trying to take my plot of land and structure it in the way that I wish, while outside factors push back aggressively. Our last season’s veggie haul was ludicrous due to all the issues mentioned and more. It wasn’t for lack of trying, nor knowledge. You just simply cannot know every introduced factor ahead of time. Additionally, a new location has changed the game. 

Can You Master the Art of Gardening?

The good news is that I do not have to master gardening. I have an arsenal of books and publications, as well as the internet. Some people like to watch cat videos, and while I enjoy these, my You Tube addiction is garden videos. I learn something new every day. This increased knowledge will hopefully be a game changer this next growing season. But it isn’t a guarantee that something else won’t come up. As with everything natural, I would bet something will change and knock me off my gardening footing. 

So no, I have not mastered the art of gardening. And I likely will never, no matter how long I live. But that’s okay, because there is always a new way of doing things, other people’s help and information, and best of all, another season.