Time to rethink our gardens

I think we’ve been sold a lie. The idea that your garden can and should look amazing all year round. The idea that every season must be as impressive, as dazzling, as showstopping as the last. The idea that we shouldn’t see the work, the mess, the mud that goes into gardening. All of this is, if not a lie, then not very helpful either. 

We are blessed in this country to have distinct seasons. Seasons where things grow and die and change. That’s why there’s always something new to see in the garden, something to look forward to, and something to say goodbye to. Accepting that autumn and winter is a time of quiet, of small pleasures and hidden gems, might be good for us all.

Good for gardeners, because it frees us from the need to put on a show 12 months a year. Good for gardens, because many plants need the winter months to regenerate. And good for wildlife, because they need undisturbed garden detritus to hunt and shelter in. 

So stop worrying about what will be in flower next month, and what you’ll see out of the window on Christmas Day. If you have one thing that looks nice, no matter how big or small, enjoy it. Don’t worry about the flowers that have faded, or the leaves collecting under the shrubs. They’re part of nature, part of what keeps out gardens healthy. Today’s past-it plant is tomorrow’s healthy soil. Job done.