[Greengage]

1. I like being outdoors.
2. I like seeing things grow.
3. I like the smell of soil and mown grass.
4. Its meditative.
6.Its a way to communicate with nature.
7.Its great exercise.
8. Meeting other people who like gardening.
9. Free plants.
10. Can you believe I actually get paid for doing something I would do for nothing but dont tell the boss.

What do you like about gardening.

[Sue Deacon]

I think you have just about covered most of it.!

1. I like being outdoors.
2. I like seeing things grow.
3. I like the smell of soil and mown grass (and leaf mould)
4. Its meditative. (on a good day almost spiritual)
6. Its a way to communicate with nature.
7. Its great exercise. (if sometimes exhausting!)
8. Meeting other people who like gardening. (doesn't happen nearly often enough)
9. It's creative
10. The satisfaction of a day well spent

[tagwex]

What was number 5 again, I seem to have missed it!

[Sue Deacon]

Ooops - trust you to notice that - smarty pants!

5. - Not having someone looking over your shoulder saying 'you missed a bit'.

So then Tagwex, what are your favourite 9, sorry, 10 things?

[tagwex]

Exact same as you Auntie Sue!!

5. Eaaaaaating the produce.

[Blowin]

I'm not sure I'm quite as spiritual as that but, to stand outside on a warm summer's evening after having a shower, and with a cuppa in hand, looking at rows of (near) perfect plants growing, with the lawns neatly mowed, gives that almost smug sense of achievement that's hard to beat? Possibly more of a 'man thing'.

[Sue Deacon]

No, I get that. Sometimes when I go to the garden I did for my friend I look around with pride and immense satisfaction as say to myself 'I did this!' Perhaps the biggest contribution I have made to planet Earth (but I never normally tell anyone it sounds so big headed)

[kindredspirit]

"It's my little bit of nature and art that belongs to me." (until I pop my clogs! )

[Blowin]

There's nowt wrong in being proud of something you've done well. Admitting it is OK but best to leave it there?

[Ado 2]

I love the fact that when you don't have time to tidy and some bits get overgrown or when the nettles have a better display than the sweet pea I can say it's a wild garden and it is helping the butterflies etc also it's little miracles that happen ( like wild flower seeds getting dropped in by the birds) the baby birds and their mothers eating the greenfly off my lupins and the earwigs getting into my peppers. I also have a load of plums, I picked them all green and all cos the wasps got them last year. They are quickly ripening on my kitchen table. So delicious ! Plus the sweet cucumbers, nothing like the watery excuse of cucumber you can buy . I love my garden

[Good guy]

I think you have all covered everything I can think of. I suppose one other thing I like is the constant surprises: a sudden waft of scent, an unexpected gleam of colour when the light catches something, the sight of berries ripening and knowing the birds will have them, watching a blackbird eating a slug.......
I like surprises.

[Ado 2]

Hey that's a topic all on its own just there. Garden surprises. It's all a surprise isn't it and a delight

[tagwex]

Never surprises me that those ******* weeds come again and again and again and out compete everything else.

[tagwex]

Never surprises me that the ******* weeds come again and again and again and again and out compete everything else.

[Ado 2]

A bit like those ..... Over and over again ha. Only in Wexford