For me it's like breathing, can't live without it. Weather problems I relate to having the flu or having a cold, sooner of later it goes away. On the other hand weeds are like a bad rash that I can't seem to get rid of.

Annette

I enjoyed gardening when I first started, kind of was tinkering around with different perennials, etc.

We built a new house on a great piece of propery with lots of potential about 11 years ago. Not long after we moved my son was born. He has a fairly rare genetic disorder and through all of the trials and tribulations with that over the last 10 years, gardening really has become my therapy. I don't just tinker anymore. I became immersed in it full-force. It is a must to have a hobby/passion with a special-needs child or the disability becomes too all-consuming.

I love coming home after work (rain or shine) to weed, prune, plant or do whatever in the garden for an hour or so. Clears my head from work and then I can always start my evening on a good note. Especially since my awesome DH always prepares dinner while I'm gardening!

I would say its was just to have a nice place to sit, but now its become a passion and a full time job that I love, its just makes me feel good to see what has come from all my work

Bear

I like it because it's exciting. I like to mix in colours and then wait out the full effects. It's like a new gift every spring - you forget what's in the groun and when they start popping out, what a sight it is.

It gives me an outlet for creativity, and I love nurturing things that don't talk back. LOL.

Seriously, I cannot imagine my life without gardening. It is truly a passion.

Lisa

I love it because it's like creating something beautiful from nothing. And it's always got new twists and surprises. When I planted my tiny foxgloves this spring from Lowe's, I wasn't sure what they would do. Heard a few bad stories about them. But now they are the most gorgeous plant I've ever seen. I can't tell you the joy I get every moment I see those beauties, and soon I will enjoy the hollyhocks.

It's also great excercise and it just makes me so happy to see all my hardwork pay off and turn into something beautiful.

It's kind of like how some people love to fix up and tinker with old cars. I'm the same with my garden. Always pokin around, taking care of it, fixing this, fixing that, researching something. My partner doesn't understand. He says when I garden I get the "pickins" and just won't stop. He's the same with cars though. pick your poison, i suppose :)

I love flowers and the beauty they bring to me and others. It's therapy for me, like reading books are to some people. Knowing that I grew something myself is satisfaction whether it be come seeds I started or purchased the starter plants from a local garden center or nursery. I tried Wintersowing this winter for the first time. I had reasonable amount of success and it gives me great pleasure to look at all my successes and to know I nurtured it from seed to a plant. I know next year, I'll have a better understanding of WS and have different goals and visions for my flowerbeds. My husband and I are the youngest on our court of 18 houses; most residents are in their 80's and they may only plant one container each Spring for color..anything else is green evergreens or arborvitaes because they are low maintence. I have to have flowers around me. I love to see the beauty surround me and one neighbor walks by and Thanks me for beautifying our neighborhood. That is another reason why I love to grow flowers. This year my hydragea bushes are lush with blooms, and I have been sharing with a lot of my neighbors, even a church friend that lives on court behind us. I just created a new flowerbed in the back of our house so the neighbors behind us would have something pretty to look at when they look out their windows.

I have always loved to garden - we grew up in a beautiful 'natural' garden (my grandparents' farm rapidly heading back to bush!) But now that I struggle with disablities and limitations (rare genetic disorder expressing itself here...) gardening has become physical therapy as well as a much-needed intellectual and creative outlet as well. A garden speaks to the heart and soothes the soul.

For me growing/nurturing things is something I cannot *not* do and is something that's been part of my life from an early age. I think there's a bit of a challenge for me to help things survive and flourish despite the odds. Every day during growing season it's a thrill to see how everything is progressing.

When I had houseplants I propagated them constantly, bought half-dead plants at yard sales to 'rescue' them, planted seeds, etc. so had to give them away constantly. Just couldn't help myself! ;-D Usually had about 50-60 houseplants, all healthy and beautiful. Only have one now that should be thrown out as it's a liability when we travel but I can't bring myself to do it. Actually take the thing with us in the RV when we travel in Canada. When we go to the US I leave it with a wick/double pot in the bathtub that has a window nearby. How crazy is that?

I try to restrain myself in the outdoor garden by not buying too many plants and seldom any that are outside the zone. I hate seeing plants die altho that doesn't extend to weeds! They get recycled in the compost.

Our birds seem to be fairly well behaved altho the chipmunks have eaten every sunflower seed/sprout that the birds and I have planted this year and the baby marmots have been nibbling on the hens & chickens. Not sure what I'll do but I'm not happy with them. An outdoor cat would take care of it but I'm not doing that again. So there's another challenge!

I love the smell of the soil and the rain. I think gardening is in my genetic code: the desire to dig soil, plant seeds, watch plants grow. To not garden, for me, would be like wearing childrens shoes, it just wouldn't fit. Cheryl.

My mother would plant flowers and try to make our ugly old house prettier.

My father would cut everything down.

I decided that if I ever had my own house that I would have the flowers that she could never have. I have them and love caring for them.

I grew up with farmers and gardeners - it is in my blood - my signature line on several message boards(not related to gardening) is 'He who plants a seed believes in tomorrow' - I believe :) ......

Lynne

There are so many reasons.

1. Genetics. My dad is from central PA farming country and I think I got it from him. He was always planting something.
2. Creativity. I literally MUST be creative. If I'm not writing, painting or gardening, I will go mad. MAD I TELL YOU!!!
3. Nature. I think we all need to plug in to nature. I feel my best when I get to be outside the most. I'm in a room without windows for most of the day and I need that outlet.
4. Nurture. I love to nurture plants and see them grow. I think it fulfills that mothering part of me.

For me it's definitely a creative outlet.
It's something I have some control over (if a plant doens't grow or doesn't make it I find something else that will).
I love the research behind it, I spend hours upon hours reading about plants and thinking about design ideas and planning the next step.
I love to sit back and take in the wildlife enjoying my hard work.
I love the compliments from neighbors and friends.
I love talking about about gardening with co-workers/friends/family.
I love playing in the dirt and enjoying the sunshine and the rain.
I love the anticipation of "what will bloom next" or "what will my garden look like next week".

I only started really gardening about 3 years ago and I cannot imagine my life without it now. This will definitely be a life long hobby for me :)

~Andrea

Gardening is part of who I am, I just need to garden as much as possible. I grew up on a farm and always liked being outdoors. I inherited my grandmothers and mothers love of gardening so I guess you could say it runs in the family. The planing and research on plants, shrubs and trees I am considering is also enjoyable as I read something garden related every day. My garden was created from scratch after we built our house and has been changing along the way as some plants work and others go by the wayside. To me it is pure joy to see all the beautiful flowers in bloom a feast for the eyes.

We also feed the birds and yes even the squirrels wildlife around here also enjoys the garden and we love watching them. I do love the compliments from people. When the garden is in full bloom often when we are sitting on our backyard patio folks drive very slowly around the block sometimes even stopping to see the garden.

Right now I am one of the caregivers for one of my younger sisters (also a gardener) who has cancer. When I get the chance to be in my garden it really helps relieve the stress and takes my mind to another place.

Guess it's always been a part of my life.I grew up in the country in N.Y. state,my mom always had gardens,flowers veggies,fruit trees,etc,etc,as did my GP's who lived next door to us.Mom canned all summer long and we enjoyed the fruits of her labor all winter long~~~~~~~~SOOOOOOOOO Good!!

While i never really got into growing veggies,other than tomatoes,i am gung ho with flowers.Don't think i've ever met a flower i didn't like.

Love getting out and playing in the dirt,planting things that people tell me won't grow here.Love to plant from seed,and enjoy sitting out there watching the birds and wildlife,just never seem to sit very long though,as i always spot a weed to pull,or a plant that needs deadheading etc.

To me life in the spring and summer especially would be very boring without gardening.The rest of the year i do my other crafts,sewing,quilting,cross stitching,and making something from nothing etc.
Love my gardens
Kathi