A Growing Desire

May 2025

Spring has sprung in Michigan.  It’s probably my favorite time of year.  A time full of new beginnings. Recently, I saw my first oriole and hummingbird.  Having returned from their long winter vacation somewhere in the south. The bluebirds have nested and already have their first set of eggs.  The trees and shrubs are quickly beginning to bud, and the grass is green and needs mowing.  I’ve even begun the spring-cleaning process outside my house.  Washing away all memories of the long winter.  Hard work yes, but I enjoy it. Getting everything ready for a new year of outdoor happiness makes me happy. 

Spring also means that, once again, I get to grow things. And I truly love that whole process.  The planning, choosing, buying, planting, positioning and nurturing.  All of it.  Watching plants grow and thrive is a true joy for me.  But why?  Today, I am pondering this process and why so many people love it, as well as why it is such an important part of my own life.

I went to a nursery today to buy a few plants and get started. Don’t tell my wife but $400 later my truck was loaded to the gills.  I’m sure I bought more than I need. I always do. But it’s an infectious activity, choosing plants.  No, I’m not as much about starting from seeds. I experimented with that for years but realized after a while that I am more of an adopter.  I’m very impatient and visual.  I like a good, fast start.  The nurseries I visit all have distinctive personalities themselves.  They are set up to trick you into buying more than you really need. Soft piano music plays at one of them.  Everyone there is happy and chatting. All admitting they are spending too much but not complaining about it.

If I consider why this is, I have to believe that finding joy in plants and planting is a bit of escapism. Trying to find a distraction from the demands of everyday life.  The radiant colors of plants, their seeming fragility, and knowing you will need to provide care for them offers a bit of a therapeutic retreat from the normal grind. It seems plants need our attention and just a little love to thrive. Which always feels good to give. Especially without the fear of rejection.  Besides, plants are like the “shiny new toys” of springtime.

Personally, I thoroughly enjoy the selection process. I spend a great deal of time wandering around my nurseries.  Admiring the plants, thinking and rethinking what my plant world will look like this year.  Even when I don’t buy anything, I leave the place feeling peaceful and relaxed. The whole process gives me the sensation of having a bit of a purpose as well as fulfilling my need for a challenge. And of course, the feeling of achievement when my plants rock!

Plants are a little like children. They may misbehave a little, but they never talk back. And like pets, they love us unconditionally. Without pooping in the yard or chewing on the furniture.  So for me, plants are somewhere in between kids and pets.  They give me something to take care of other than myself. And like kids and pets, it’s not all joyful.  Keeping plants alive can be a challenge and I’m constantly learning what to do and not to do.  Again, a little like parenting!  But failure in the world of home horticology comes at little cost.  Which makes it easier to take a few chances.

After your plants have grown up, you get to enjoy the calming presence they bring.  For me, almost all of my plants are outdoors, on my deck or patios. I get to show them off when we have visitors.  I also try to pattern them to please my visitors from nature.  Designing them to appeal to birds, butterflies and other wildlife and beneficial insects.  I also propagate my plant friends to enjoy their culinary aspects.  I have an extensive herb garden that we enjoy year-round, after some of them are dried in the autumn.

All this being said, I still think the main reason why I love plants is simple. They make me happy. The whole process makes me happy.  Seeing plants and flowers grow inspires me. And give me a great deal of sensory stimulation.  They provide me with a means of personal expression and self-identity. Connecting me with nature. Connecting me with my past.  My dad loved plants and gardening, and I always admired his gardening skills. So, I am trying to inspire my children, hoping to make gardening a family tradition!

Regardless, gardening has taught me patience, resilience, and the cyclical beauty of nature. It’s given me a sense of purpose, made my deck and patio a sanctuary to retreat to, and provides me with the joy of nurturing something from seedling to bloom.  It is one of the few things in my life that allows me to do something purely for the love of the activity. And I am certain this feeling is not unique just to me.  Most of these reasons and benefits are applicable to anyone that likes to get their hands dirty and grow things.

Anyway, it’s time to go out and enjoy my planting.  Oh yea, and to try to think of a way to tell my wife about that $400 I just spent.  I think that I better wait for that conversation until we are sitting on the deck enjoying a beverage this summer.  Or maybe just keep it our little secret.