Grove Street

Archive for September, 2009

Considering the hard work involved, I can still honestly state there is nothing quite as “relaxing” as spending the day working in my garden. Well okay, if not exactly “relaxing”, it certainly is rewarding and just gives you an overall feeling of well-being. An added benefit is if you are not physically fit before you start your first gardening project, chances are you soon will be simply thru the process of maintaining it. But is serious gardening actually a hobby? I don’t think so.

I was in my 40’s when we moved from California with my low maintenance, swimming pool and concrete backyard to a small community in rural Oregon. The old farmhouse we intended to remodel sat on over an acre of land which sported any number of weeds and a few overgrown shrubs. Most of which, had been planted in a haphazard manner.

For the first few years we just kept the weeds mowed while we focused most of our efforts on the inside of the house. In time however, there was nothing left to do but turn our attention to the grounds surrounding the house. Oh my, where to start?

By the time that particular summer was over, we had created what we called the courtyard right outside the kitchen. It was a small, private area with a waterfall and herb garden, along with a comfortable seating area partly shaded by our 50 year old oak tree.

In addition, we had put up a 60’ fence, planted flowering shrubs and hedges, seeded a new back lawn and planted flowers galore. In addition to the herb garden now, we had an entry garden, a shade garden, a sunny flower garden and the following year we created a raised vegetable garden.

I’m not exactly sure when reality hit amidst all this flowering and fruit/vegetable producing plant life, but hit it did. This gardening stuff was a lot of work! Not only did we have to dig and add nutrients to our rock hard clay soil, we had to plant, then keep the plants watered and weeded. Deadheading soon became a half a days work on a regular basis throughout the summer.

Once planted, my hubby who had a job and a thousand other things to do around the property left me to tend the gardens on my own. I soon discovered that weeding took me at least 3 days a week. Then somebody turned me on to Round-Up and I gave thanks to the Gods that be. Even so, you have to be very careful with herbicides especially around vegetables and ground water.

In surveys, when people are asked what kind of hobbies they enjoy, 8 out of 10 will include gardening. After my experience, I can’t really relate to gardening as being a hobby, but I can sure relate to it as being a full-time commitment!

Gardening can be described as an art in which plants are grown for the purpose of creating an impressive landscape. Gardening can take place at a private home, or it can be used at public buildings. The space that is used for gardening is called the garden. While most gardens will typically be located on the ground, some have been built on top of roofs as well. A large garden is often referred to as being a park, and will often be a tourist attraction. In a large facility a number of workers will be responsible for the maintenance of the garden, and are called gardeners. Gardening falls under three primary categories, and these are outdoor gardening, indoor gardening, and water gardening.

As the name implies, indoor gardening is the art of creating gardens inside buildings and homes. Houseplants will often be used, and the garden may also be used as a natural heating or cooling unit. Water gardening is the art of growing plants near ponds or pools. The most basic water garden will be a small collection of water that will contain plants. While many people compare gardening to farming, there are a number of notable differences. Farming is designed to grow food that can be consumed by individuals, while gardening is done primarily for design purposes.

While food may be grown in a garden, it will generally only be consumed by the gardener and their close relatives. Farming is almost always done on a much large scale than gardening. While very few tools are required for gardening, extensive equipment must be used by those who want to create even moderate sized farms. Despite this, it should be noted that the lines between gardens and farms often become blurred. Despite the fact that most gardens are much smaller than farms, they tend to be much more productive.

The design of the garden is considered to be sacred in many cultures. While gardening is often considered to be the work of women, Samurai warriors in feudal Japan were expected to create elaborate gardens in a process called ikebana. Throughout history, architects have been used to design beautiful gardens, and this process continues today. There are a number of social roles that gardens have played in societies, and this is also the case in the United States. Gardening is not only a form of art, but it can be an important source of food. Many governments have now begin banning the importation of plants to different countries. While some say it is merely to stop the spread of bacteria, others feel that it destroys and important part of gardening.

Gardening is a practice which has existed since antiquity, and it is likely that it has been in existence in some form since humans first discovered agriculture. One of the most impressive historical gardens was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and it was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In addition to this, ancient Rome was famous for having a large number of beautiful gardens as well.

Love to garden? Well here’s good news. Gardening can get you in shape; call it backyard fitness.

You remember when you joined the gym and vowed to go three times a week. Or when you bought the treadmill knowing you would use it everyday. Well, that didn’t happen, did it?

Work in the garden and on the lawn works the heart and other muscles just as effectively as other forms of exercise. Little did we know that pushing a hand mower burns more calories then an hour on the treadmill at 4 miles per hour. Digging and raking burn even more calories. Any amount of aerobic exercise will decrease your risk of heart disease. The risk of heart disease declines for each day of 30 minute yard work you perform.

Before you go out to your yard with you gardening gloves and hat, do some stretching to warm up your muscles for the job ahead. After stretching take a brisk 5 minute walk around your garden to spot where you will be working that day Check out exercise routines on websites and libraries or go to the bookstore.

You don’t need fancy equipment to get warmed up. You can use a broom held behind you back and rotate your body left and right. Grasp a couple of soup cans and do some arm curls. If things were perfect, you should start conditioning about six weeks before the planting season. But if you didn’t plan it that way, it’s alright. Just do some stretching and do the yard work in small sections until you feel stronger.

To avoid overuse injuries, switch chores often. Start with weeding and then switch to digging in the dirt. Takes some breaks, the 30 minutes does not have to be continuous.

It is important to change positions frequently so you don’t freeze up. When you’re weeding kneel on a pad and then switch to a seated position. Don’t bend over to work.

Make sure you have the right gear. Always wear sturdy shoes and garden gloves. I never work in the garden without a hat and good sunglasses. If you have a back problem wear a brace to avoid further injury. Spend a little extra time warming up an area that may be venerable.

Lift and carry correctly. When lifting, bend from your knees not your waist. This will keep you from a back injury. When carrying heavy loads like bags of soil, hold them close to your body and centered rather than out in front. If something is really heavy, rather than risk injury, use a wheel barrel.

It is most important is to stay hydrated. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, drink water constantly.

And lastly: don’t overdo it. Pace yourself when you first begin yard work. Spread the yard work over a couple of days and your muscles will thank you.