I think it’s something inherent in human nature - the saying ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’ captures the feeling in a general sense. The somewhat ephemeral nature of gardens captures/makes more obvious the repeating incidence of the issue. One way of thinking about the issue is to consider the opposite i.e. if/when the garden (or a garden scene/planting picture) is ’finished’, what do you do then? You need to either start over again to make some new garden or picture, or find some other interest. You don’t just stop - unless you died (and even then who knows whether you ‘stop’ or not...?!) I sometimes think of William Robinson (writer of The Wild Garden and other garden books etc. in the 1930s and prior...) who planted an orchard in his 90s! Now that is a good definition of an optimist :-). So, I think the tendency to keep on gardening (or whatever) rather than truly seeking the ‘finish’, is a natural impulse that keeps us alive and moving forward...

And also, no real thing ever measures up to your vision of perfection, and as you noticed *any* perfection is fleeting. Also our own tastes change and evolve.

maybe the ongoing changes in the garden actually bring us more joy..the anticipation of new leaves, buds, flowers etc rather than full blooms forever and ever..I think gardens are fresher and prettier because plants have new growth and renew themselves..one thing that I've figured out that's fake..I've seen rock paths, mulch paths and dry creek beds that look perfect..not one piece of debris..not one weed..and I realized that photo is one moment in time the second the job was installed..Lol

The unexpected things are the fun part.

A friend of mine told me that as soon as you think that your garden is finished, you will have to move. In light of this, I have always thought of my garden as a never-ending work in progress, and I'm happy with that.

And "ir" - the idea, the plant, the design , the goal- is ephemeral. As you all point out , working with living materials automatically creates an environment of uncertainty over which I have less control than I imagine

I strongly suspect my musings are also linked to all the uncertainties the pandemic has brought. And that the last decades of my life ( should I be blessed with more than one or a fraction thereof) will be far different than I imagined before March 2020. I dont want to start a political argument either, but the politicAL environment tin the US makes me feel dislocated in a strange unfamiliar world.

Marie, I understand your feelings of dislocation. And, it is because of this and other things that I turn to gardening. Even though it is hard work for me and I often need assistance with heave tasks , there is a connection I feel with my yard, my garden. There is a peace about it..,....when gardening I forget about terrible decline our country has seen in the last 4 years. It also gives me a true sense of achievement when I look at my garden and when others appreciate it. Nothing is perfect.....most especially Mother Nature. We never know what is in store for us these days. The pictures of gardens that we see posted are of course perfect looking, no one posts the areas that aren’t perfect.......lol

As to why we do it over and over.....for me, it has gotten into my blood!

debra

my garden is my sanctuary..my happy place..we strive for perfection but don't achieve it for our entire garden..but parts of it could be perfect!!..world conditions put in perspective how a gardening disappointment is something we can overcome..

I always have at least 3 projects going at the same time - and at times I get so frustrated with myself for doing it. Somewhere in my pea brain I must have a vision which I cannot really put on paper in totality, although looking back through my sketch journals I did capture pretty much what I was going for. It is such a wonderment when I see an image in my gardens which is exactly what I wanted and I am humbled that I have been able to achieve it. Despite a morning of work in high heat and humidity, when I thought I was going to collapse from exhaustion, and after gallons of fluids and a shower I was able to walk back out to my work-in-progress and see the first solid proofs of my design. A day of rain sends me back looking at videos and pictures on the internet and that always gets me in trouble. For instance, just Monday, as it showered off and on all day I found a cute utube video on making a bridge out of a wooden pallet which led to more videos on bridges and now I have sketched out the perfect small bridge for the Japanese style garden I started laying out. Meanwhile the new roses I started replanting three years ago continue to succumb to BS and JBs until they are nothing but sticks and I am reminded that I do not have control over everything within my realm and some serious replanning on more perennials is in store. (71 years old and still trucking...)

For me, much of the enjoyment and satisfaction is in the process, especially the creative process. When something is "done", I'm thinking about what's next -- actually I'm thinking about what's next pretty much all the time. Always thinking what to tinker with -- it may be nice or even beautiful, but how can I make it better?

my husband has said "nothing is ever finished"..and "why do you have to change something that I thought WAS finished?"..maybe I should have him read this post!..I tell him that as time passes I realize that a change improves the function or look or both..but he doesn't really get it..it's nice that fellow gardeners here do..

So many well written posts in this thread.

it may be nice or even beautiful, but how can I make it better?

I bet that many of us think the same but you know what I have discovered...

All else being equal I more often than not think in my head that my current year is my best looking garden BUT when I look at past pictures it isnt so obvious as to which garden looks better....they just look different and that's just fine.