Conscious Gardening

The Relationship Between the Garden and the Gardener

By Michael Roads

There are many gardeners in the world, but few are outstanding. What is it that makes one particular gardener stand out from so many others? First and foremost, it is the relationship that gardener has with their garden. And it is a relationship! Some gardeners enjoy looking after the garden, and they have a very nice garden, while for many others – who do not actually qualify as gardeners – it is the bane of the their life; mowing the lawn, hedge-trimming, pulling weeds – uh, pruning roses – ouch. Enough!

Let us be clear; you can be a very good gardener by following the books, and doing as they suggest. Repetition can make a person into a good gardener, learning the ropes, so to speak. It is not at all difficult to be a good gardener – but outstanding? That takes something extra; something beyond technique; something beyond knowledge; something beyond following a subconscious program of gardening success.

This is where the relationship truly come to the fore. Loving the garden, loving the land, loving the the plants; really loving Nature – this creates a conscious relationship with Nature. In this great relationship, the garden is your meeting place with Nature. But something extra is required. Nature lives in the eternal moment. Plants are not thinking about us, and their place in the world; they are simply growing and living in the moment. We think – as if you did not know! Unfortunately, we think our way out of the moment, we cannot think our way into it. This means, in effect, that while all natural life is consciously in the moment, humanity is so busy thinking, that we live subconsciously; we are rarely consciously conscious of being in the moment. We live subconsciously, Nature lives consciously. Sorry, but full consciousness and subconsciousness can never meet – not even in the garden. You cannot be subconsciously conscious!

You cannot subconsciously love Nature. In fact, you cannot subconsciously love. Love, true love, requires full consciousness. You cannot be a subconscious gardener, and love the garden. As a gardener, you may quarrel, or argue with your spouse, but never with the garden. For this type of gardener, the garden is a retreat, a refuge, a shelter from the stormy blasts! You may be a gardener who wants, and achieves, the most flower-filled garden in the street. Very nice, a good gardener; sorry, but not outstanding. You cannot be an outstanding gardener and use the garden as an outlet for your frustrations, or ambitions. Wrong energy. So let us leave all the various gardening types of people and focus on the outstanding gardener.