With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I recently sat down and pondered the many sides of love. We love our partners, our children, and our pets. We may even love our favorite song, painting, or the smell of coffee in the morning. And, I think we would all agree the love we feel for our partner or kids is different – at least qualitatively – than the love we feel for our pet gerbil.
Then, there is us, the diehard gardeners who love all things gardens, wildlife, and nature. Is romantic love and our love of gardens really that different?
While these two concepts may seem like distinct notions, they share some interesting similarities, particularly in the emotional and experiential aspects. After walking about in my garden yesterday, I came up with a few ways I believe romantic love and our love for gardens are similar:
- They both require nurturing and growth: In a romantic relationship, partners invest time and effort into each other’s well-being and personal development. Similarly, a garden thrives when given attention, proper care, and maintenance.
- They both involve beauty and aesthetics: Romantic love involves an appreciation for the beauty of the partner, both physical and emotional. Gardens, too, are spaces that are often designed and cultivated for their aesthetic appeal. The colors, shapes, and fragrances of flowers and plants contribute to the visual and sensory beauty of a garden.
- They both require patience and a long-term perspective: Building a strong romantic connection often takes time, understanding, and the ability to weather challenges together. Likewise, gardens evolve over time, with plants growing, flowering, and sometimes facing setbacks that require patience and perseverance.
- They both encourage creativity and expression: Romantic love often involves expressing feelings and creativity to make the relationship unique and special. Similarly, gardening allows individuals to express their creativity through landscape design, plant choices, and the arrangement of elements within the garden.
- They both undergo seasons of change: Romantic relationships, like gardens, go through seasons of change. There are times of blossoming, abundance, and vibrancy, as well as periods of dormancy, challenges, and renewal. Both experiences can teach individuals about adaptability and the cyclical nature of life.
- They both include powerful sensory experiences: Romantic love is often associated with a multisensory experience – the touch, scent, taste, sight, and sound of being with a loved one. Similarly, gardens engage the senses with the fragrance of flowers, the feel of soil, the sound of rustling leaves, and the visual appeal of the surroundings.
- They both share deep connections with nature: Romantic gestures often include moonlit strolls, walking hand-in-hand in the rain or during a fresh snowfall, a walk in a park or garden, enjoying a picnic, or simply spending time together outdoors. Gardens, being natural spaces, provide an opportunity to connect with the environment and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors.
- They both need cycles of renewal: Romantic relationships, like gardens, can benefit from cycles of renewal. Taking time to reflect, rekindle the spark, and invest in shared experiences can strengthen the bond. Similarly, gardens benefit from seasonal pruning, replanting, and rejuvenation to maintain their vitality.
While romantic love and a love for gardens and nature are distinct in their contexts, the emotional and experiential parallels highlight the common themes of nurturing, growth, beauty, and connection that are integral to both aspects of life.
What do you love about gardening and nature?
