Tamara- what a great topic. During my recent treatment for breast cancer being in my garden helped me immensly. Although I couldn't do much, just being outside and taking in the flowers, vegatables and all of the critters that go with a garden made me feel better. It also helped me not to feel sorry for myself and like I was accomplishing something, even if I just planted a couple of seeds that day.

Beverly Gray
Florida

I agree - Sometimes it takes a lot just to get OUT there. But I find after pulling a few weeds, walking around checking the plants, watching the butterflies, listening to the birds.. watching the squirrels chase around up in the tree - I come back into the house feeling so relaxed.. even leaving aches and pains outside. Today I was able to leave a huge headache out there.. must have blown away with those beautiful breezes between the rains. I love seeing things accomplished, but its apparently not necessary for me. smile.. I just love being out there.

Tamara,
A few years ago I had a massive stroke. My gardening has been
the best medicine.The actual weeding,propagating,trimming as well as sitting on a bench softly praying while admiring the garden. Has rescued me from stress and to cope with what the stroke left me with.
Felix
{{gwi:56643}}

Well you're going to think I'm awful but I used to teach very challenging high school Special Ed students. I would come home and trim up my bushes with a chain saw and electic hedge clippers. It made me feel better.
Barb

Barb, I don't think you are awful at all, I understand completely! If I am angry or stressed, I go out there and prune everything and I feel so much better after that. It's our way of venting. Something we have control over, when there are things going on around us we haven't any control. Maybe that's the key to gardening. Control. We can choose to pull a weed or let it grow, we choose what want plants we want to plant and how we want the garden to look, formal, cottage, tropical or what ever is our fancy.
Then there is the nurturing aspect of gardening to appel to our softer side. Raising a plant from seed, watching it grow into something lovely or edible gives us a sense of reward. And a valadation to our efferts. ;o)
Kathy

Kathy, you said great! It's conrol. We are in control to make things beautiful! And to make things beautiful is a natural urge of every human being. Though everyone understands it on it's own way. We are not in control to make this world beautiful, not even ourselves :-) But we can try this with the small part of this world - our yard.
I don't think my garden is a stress reliever to me, it's more like self-expression, like art, poetry ...

Maria

Gardening is a spiritual experience for me. My inner being thrives where I can be one with nature and my Creator. I can experience daily miracles in the blooming of a beautiful flower, a plant breaking dormancy, a bird feeding its young.

I also am a breast cancer survivor. During the time after my surgeries, and while undergoing months of chemotherapy, we owned 10 acres we were trying to develop into a garden. I was too tired and weak to garden in the same way I always had. However, I relished getting on the tractor mower and mowing 8 of those acres on a weekly basis. It was my real therapy, and it was the smell of freshly cut grass that saved me. I would duck the trees, watch the birds, the deer, the snakes as I mowed. Heaven. I would finish with a sense of hope and wanting to be here the next week to do it again.

Well, the 10 acres proved to be too much, and we moved to this property where we started a garden from scratch. The hope is still here. The hope that my cuttings will root, that my newly planted bushes will fill in next year, that the hummers will be back. Every day I'm reminded that life goes on in my garden. The dragonflies, symbols of long survival (they have been around for millions of years and survived great odds), abound in my garden, and I'm here to see their transformation into the beauties that they are.

Anna

I find working in my garden to be a great stress reliever as well as good exercise. Going outside after a long day at work is a great way to unwind and if I'm upset about something I start pulling weeds to let out my frustrations. It's also very uplifting to see my plants thrive and bloom.

Kara

Gardening is an outlet for me too. I love to go outside and listen to what's going on in the garden. It is great not to hear the Dora on the TV or some computer game or the kids arguing over something :)

I find it to be theraputic for my children as well. My oldest son tells me every morning he has to get some outside time before he goes to school. He will go outside and watch the birds, check for butterflies, et cetera. He comes back in the house much calmer and seems ready for the day.

My four year old loves to dig. He will go outside and get in his "zone" and for those few minutes he needs nothing else.

Even my three year old knows that when we drop off the other two for school, we come home and water the plants in containers. She has her watering can and I have mine. It's a peaceful bonding time for the two of us.

I think it's a well-needed escape for me. Even at night when if DH and I have put the kids to bed and are watching TV, I'm thinking about what I can plant where and new plants I need_lol.

Wendy

yeah, cool topic.

My garden is its own microcosm where, as katkin pointed out, total control over an environment becomes possible. It is a place immune from whatever stresses the rest of life may bring. Also, showing compassion in the care of plants and wildlife just makes a person feel good.

But more importantly,

Gardening has always been a rigorous form of Zen for me. By carefully refining the landscape around me, I equally refine my self and my soul. That is basically the equation that I work under... any beauty that I create in the world is just a reflection of what is going on inside me.

In particular, my herb garden has a great healing energy to it. I definitely find some peace out there...

Wonderful topic, wonderful responses. For me, it is simply the age old connection to the earth itself. To dig in the ground, to watch new life spring forth, to reap the rewards of beautiful plants, flowers, maybe some edible fruits, vegetables, or herbs...that is all so enriching. And time spent in my garden is time spent away from every stressful thing in my life. I don't think of it as me being in control of anything...I think of it as me being a PART of it all. Part of the earth, part of the plants, part of the seasons. Just in tune with nature, through and through.

The most relaxing part for me is watering my plants. I purely love to walk through my garden with the hose and water each plant. Yep, I talk to 'em, too. It gives me such a sense of pleasure to provide them with cool water each morning so they can stand up straight and tall in the sunshine.

It is so relaxing and peaceful to sit in the Bali hut, and watch the bees, birds, butterflies, frogs, snakes, dragonflies, and other critters that visit the garden. It's another direct connection to the earth and nature. These creatures all need the same things I do...food, shelter, and a place for their offspring to grow and thrive. Watching them go about their daily lives puts MY life in perspective for me.

Marcia

A stress reliever? Oh yes. I don't do drugs...maybe a Tylenol for a bad headache. So I often say gardening is like Valium for me. I can get physical and whack away my frustrations. Pulling weeds and digging are rather mindless tasks, so I use the time to problem solve or just take in my surroundings and count my blessings. And I'm a nurturer by nature. It just plain feels good to tackle the many challenges of Florida gardening; to be successful in coaxing along what I've put into the earth; to provide food and shelter for the critters who stop by; to do no harm and to improve upon what's mine for the time being.

I have a little sign that hangs in my Ficus tree that says it all. "Gardening is cheap therapy.

I agree: control and hope. What a combination! The results of my work will be more than the sum of my efforts, thanks to "nature." It is a private endeavor where I feel free to fail - and where I succeed, others can see and admire. It can be something beyond simple stress relieving: I sometimes find myself in the garden late at night, driven to dig and plant by the grace of the intermittent security lights... must accomplish something, plant some seeds, do something concrete so tomorrow will be better ... I think of Willy Loman and wonder....

My soul soars forth from my body when I sit amongst God's creations and marvel at the intricate beauty and design that went and goes into each tiny petal and leaf. Even weeds have a beauty of their own and are reminder that even though we are blessed with beauty there is also weeds in our lives. Reaching and grasping a handfull of dirt and allowing it to flow through my fingers reminds me that we came from dirt and will return to dirt. Dirt teams with life and it gives life and takes it away. My garden reminds me that life is a cycle that goes full circle and when the circle is complete we depart to begin a new life elsewhere in heaven. Gardening fills my heart with love as I tenderly attend to the needs of my children. I plant tiny seeds and watch them as they sprout and spring forth from the dirt and the capsule that enclosed them to reach their heads towards the sun and light. To watch them as they sway in the breeze and to feel that same breeze lift the tendrils of my hair and gently caress my skin while stroking my soul. To watch that tiny plant grow and expand both outward and upward as it races towards maturity. To inhale the heady fragrances is to be at peace with yourself and the world. How anything so small could produce such aroma and then proceed onward to produces seeds for the next generation. Dirt slips theough my fingers are I gently loosen the soil around roots and apply food to help my children grow. Peace, oh the peace the fills every nook and cranny of my body. When the rage comsumes me I take it out on the weeds and the plants that have gotten out of control, but I feel their pain as I cut into their limbs to make them bend to my will. Sometimes the knowledge that I am imflicting pain overwhelms me and I sit and look at the leggy beauty that is before me. To tilt my face upwards and feel the warmth of the sun caress my skin before nature's water lightly falls upon my face to remind me that moisture and water are necessary to sustain life.

Stress reliever, yes my garden is that and so much more. I once thought I was in control of my garden but Mother Nature is the true person in charge. When things displease her she causes drought or flood, ice or extreme heat. I marvel at how plants endure and survive dispite everything that is thrown their way and realize that my garden is my inspiration, my teacher and my oasis in a world of turmoil. Linda

Just thought I'd stop by and show you the 'fruits of your labor' -- if you'll pardon the bad pun. LOL. We were incredibly impressed by the thoughtful and insightful posts you made about how your gardens have made such a difference in your lives. I only wish we could have used each and every comment - they were all wonderful.

We hope you enjoy the slideshow!

Best,

Tamara

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Saved My Life

WOW that is really cool! Hey look how many Florida Forum pals are quoted! Nice going guys!

Dude, I was quoted on iVillage... :P

but yes, excellent thoughts everyone!

Wow my Garden Web friends are celebrities!! You done good guys!

I want autographs!!!

The first plant I ever put in the ground were two hybrid tea roses I dug up from my mom's courtyard after she died. I knew NOTHING about roses, or even much about Florida gardening, even though I'm a native. Those two roses started something and helped me really find myself.

Now, I'm in another house, with another garden. Somedays, it's hard to get the energy up to do all the work and maintenance, but I couldn't breath without it.

I see that my chain saw massacre of unruly plants didn't make the cut.

You folks have a softer, gentler approach to gardening. I'm working on that.

Congratulations to all you published authors, take a bow, you deserve it and while you're down there bowing, pull a weed or two.

Woohoo :) I was quoted. That's kinda neat.

Gardengirl, beautiful pictures!! Your winding path is perfect; the plants flow so well with it.

Is the bright green ground cover at the beginning of the path sweet potato vine? It's huge. What's growing next to your gallardia in the second picture?

Wendy