Body,, soul and soil - stand and stare

Have you ever stepped outside into your garden to do nothing more than stand and stare?  It might seem counter-intuitive for a gardening magazine to encourage you to do virtually nothing in the garden, but bear with us.

The gardener and author Andrew O’Brien has written a whole book called ‘To Stand and Stare’ on how to do exactly that.  This gentle philosophy is a different approach to gardening than you may be used to.  Usually, we go outside do one simple job, then ended up criss-crossing the garden doing multiple different jobs as we spot them, so that we end up frantically trying to get to the bottom of a long gardening to-do list. 

Andrew’s approach is slower, more considered and works in a partnership with nature, rather than trying to dominate it.  This isn’t about becoming a lazy gardener, just a more thoughtful one.  Taking the time to step back and fully appreciate your garden before you even put a spade in the soil or one hand on your secateurs can help you see clearly what’s looking good in your garden, which plants may need some attention, and the areas you’d like to develop next.

It’s not lazy gardening, simply more thoughtful gardening; so the next time you find yourself listing all the things you need to achieve on a sunny Saturday morning, try it for yourself, and enjoy considering how to spend your time in the garden more slowly and mindfully.