| I don't know what it is about a garden that has | | | | happiness. |
| always drawn humans tothem. But they've | | | | This is why gardens are so relaxing and calming |
| always been very popular, and an integral part | | | | to be in. This is whygardens are a good place to |
| ofpeoples' lifestyles. Most religions feature gardens | | | | meditate and do tai chi exercises. A garden isa |
| as the settings forsome of the biggest events | | | | way to quickly escape from the busy world. |
| According to Christianity, humanity was startedin | | | | I've thought at times that perhaps we as humans |
| a garden and the son of God was resurrected in | | | | feel a sort of guiltdriving us to restore nature and |
| a garden. The Buddhistbuild gardens to allow | | | | care for it. This guilt could stem fromthe |
| nature to permeate their surroundings. Almost | | | | knowledge that we, not personally but as a race, |
| everymajor palace and government building has a | | | | have destroyed somuch of nature to get where |
| garden. But what's so greatabout them? They're | | | | we are today. It's the least we can do tobuild a |
| just a bunch of plants, after all. | | | | small garden in remembrance of all the trees we |
| Of course, the reasoning is fairly obvious behind | | | | kill every day. |
| why people grow food ingardens. It's to eat! If | | | | It's my theory that this is the underlying reason |
| you live off the fat of the land and actuallysurvive | | | | for most people to takeup gardening as a hobby. |
| on stuff from your garden, it's easy to | | | | Gardening is definitely a healthy habit though, don't |
| understand the reasoning. | | | | get me wrong. Anyhobby that provides physical |
| But I'm thinking about those people who plant | | | | exercise, helps the environment, and |
| flower gardens just for thesake of looking nice. | | | | improvesyour diet can't be a negative thing. So no |
| There's no immediate benefit that I can see; | | | | matter what the underlyingpsychological cause for |
| youjust have a bunch of flowers in your yard! | | | | gardening is, I think that everyone shouldcontinue |
| However, after thinkingextensively about the | | | | to do so. In the USA especially, which is dealing |
| motivation behind planting decorative gardens, | | | | with obesityand pollution as its two major |
| I'veconceived several possible theories. | | | | problems, I think gardening can only serveto |
| I think one of the reasons people love gardens so | | | | improve the state of the world. |
| much is that while wehave a natural desire to | | | | Of course I'm no psychologist; I'm just a curious |
| progress and industrialize, deep within all of usis a | | | | gardener. I often stayup for hours wondering |
| primal love for nature. While this desire might not | | | | what makes me garden. What is it that makes |
| be as strong asthe desire for modernism, it is still | | | | me gooutside for a few hours every day with |
| strong enough to compel us to creategardens, | | | | my gardening tools, and facilitatethe small-time |
| small outlets of nature, in the midst of all our | | | | growth of plants that would grow naturally on |
| hustle andbustle. Since being in nature is like | | | | their own? Imay never know, but in this case |
| regressing to an earlier stage ofhumanity, we too | | | | ignorance truly is bliss. |
| can regress to a time of comfort and utter | | | | |