Gardeners and Non-Gardeners Don’t See Things the Same Way

November 10th, 2015

I’m always flummoxed (I’ve been waiting years for the perfect place to use this fun word) at how two different people can look at the exact same thing and come up with two totally opposite conclusions.

Do you see beauty here? Or a lot of work?

Our yards – and the plants in them – are no exception.

I noticed this while doing a few season-ending garden consults, some with plant-geek gardeners and some with “regular” people who mainly wanted me to tell them how to have a decent landscape without a lot of work.

It made me realize how easy it is to separate people into distinct gardener vs. non-gardener categories, just by how they fill out their pre-consult questionnaires and comment as we walk around the yard.

Not that either viewpoint is “right” or “wrong,” but here’s how the divergent outlooks shake out:

   On Trees

Gardener: I can’t imagine this yard without the peace, shade and privacy from the trees. Any good spots to add another one?

Non-Gardener: I’m thinking of cutting that big one over there down. It’s killing the grass, and I’m afraid it’s going to fall over on my house one of these days.

   On Leaves from the Trees

Gardener: Free mulch! Free compost! Sometimes I scoop them out of my neighbor’s curb.

Non-Gardener: It’s a pain raking and blowing all of them around. It gets worse every year, too. Aren’t there trees that aren’t messy?

   On Fruits from Trees

Gardener: I like watching the birds clean off the fruits.

Non-Gardener: I’m about to cut down that messy tree. I’ve had enough of the birds pooping on my patio furniture.

   On the Lawn

Gardener: I’m thinking of digging up more grass next year and putting in a pollinator garden.

Non-Gardener: How do I get my lawn to thicken up? Is now the right time to fertilize? And what’s the best way to get rid of those weeds?

   On Bees

Gardener: I put in a lot of new plants, and I’m finally starting to see more bees again. I was getting worried.

Non-Gardener: I ripped out those purple things that were attracting all of the bees. Now they’re gone. I was getting worried.

   On Annual Flowers

Gardener: I like them, but they were getting to be too much work in the ground. So I started growing them in pots.

You mean you have to replant these every year?

Non-Gardener: What? You have to replant them every year? Forget that.

On Flower Colors

Gardener: I like pink, rose, blue and lavender with a little chartreuse here and there. And I love plants with burgundy foliage.

Non-Gardener: Chartreuse? What’s that? I don’t care about colors. Just so long as the plants don’t take much work. And did I mention I don’t want any bees?

   On Yard Chemicals

Gardener: I really don’t want to spray anything if I don’t have to. I don’t want to kill off the bees and butterflies or poison the water supply.

Non-Gardener: If I double the strength of Roundup, you think that’ll kill the poison ivy?

   On Growing Vegetables

Gardener: I switched to raised beds, and that’s been working better. Is it too late to plant more beans? And why do my tomatoes get yellow and die from the bottom up?

Why go to this trouble when you can just go to Giant?

Non-Gardener: That’s a lot of work. Why would I want to go out there and sweat when I can buy everything I want at the store?

   On Weeding

Gardener: You know, that’s one job I really don’t mind. I put my brain on autopilot and just start picking. It’s relaxing.

Non-Gardener: It seems like weeds are worse and worse every year. How can I get rid of them once and for all?

   On Mulching

Gardener: You know anybody who can mulch for me without packing it the whole way up my tree trunks?

Non-Gardener: I’m getting too old to keep doing this every year. Isn’t there some other option?

   On Composting

Gardener: Everything goes into my three bins. Nothing organic leaves my place. I even keep a pail under the sink for potato peels and coffee grounds.

Non-Gardener: I don’t want to attract a bunch of rodents or stink up the neighborhood. Besides, the neighborhood association doesn’t allow compost piles anyway.

   On Our Weather

Gardener: It seems like it’s too hot or too cold or too dry or too wet. Can’t we get something in between? And the gnats are terrible.

Non-Gardener: It seems like it’s either too hot or too cold or too dry or too wet. Can’t we get something in between? And the gnats are terrible.

Hey! At least the two sides agree on something…