How to Turn Work into Play.

Take time out to see other gardens and come home with ideas.

Welcome to the Art of Growing Food newsletter. I write about artful tips for cooks who love to garden. You are receiving this newsletter because you are a free or paid subscriber. Thank you! - Ellen Ecker Ogden

Hello Everyone.

When I first began to garden, I took it seriously. Perhaps a little too much, and honestly, it was not much fun. I loved planting and harvest time, but it was all business in between —lots of hard work from dawn to dusk. That's how I felt when I said I was going out to “work” in the garden. But I could only become a better gardener if I put in the time. Or so I thought.

Luckily, those days are behind me. Far behind me. When I began to take time away from my garden to visit other gardens, I began to love my garden more. My understanding of gardening began when I took time away from my chores and observed how others set up their gardens. It gave me a new perspective on the “why” gardening could be fun, not just the “how” to make it grow.

I discovered the Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours; every weekend became a new adventure. I’d leave Vermont early and drive to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Hampshire to visit gardens. I’d mostly go solo, but it was always better when I could find a friend to join me. We could visit up to five gardens a day and talk about what we saw and ways to bring change to our gardens.

Looking back at photos, sketches, and plant lists, I can see how every garden I visited influenced me and shaped who I am as a gardener. I met other gardeners, made new friends, and not only gained ideas and a fresh perspective, but I also discovered fresh ways of designing that allowed me to break the rules. Visiting other gardens is as exhilarating as visiting an art museum or a fine restaurant if you love cooking. It’s an ongoing part of the creative process that evolves as we learn to do it better.

The downside of visiting a beautiful garden is coming home and having a strong desire to make a change. I move everything around: plants, containers, and outdoor seating areas. I’m always thinking about more artful ways to grow food and flowers by building dramatic trellises for vines and pole beans. Sometimes, I sit on the bench and make changes in my mind’s eye, then give up the notion because it requires too much effort.

In a garden, change is the operative word. When everything stays the same, it becomes routine. I never want to be that type of gardener who is set in my way and does the same thing every year.

I’ve noticed that things begin to happen when we get too comfortable. Not always by choice. Trying something new can bring balance and validity. More often, it involves sitting quietly and reflecting on how to move things around before digging in. A garden is where I often start to make changes, using the time to work things out. I like structure and routine, depend on focal points, and thrive on new, unexpected plant combinations. This much I know is true. Everything else involves trust.

Each year, I aim to visit a half-dozen gardens. Most are private, and a few are public, such as Chanticleer Gardens, Hollister House, and Maine Botanical Gardens. I have favorites I see several times a summer, while others I seek out once a year. Every time I get out of the car, I stop and breathe the air, notice the details of how the entrance is set up, and try to identify the garden owner to say hello and thank you. Because hosting a garden tour is stressful. So much fretting goes into every garden tour, from bloom time to the weather. I know because I have been a host. Even the parking of cars can be a disaster, especially if it is a rainy day.

Opening your garden for others to see is an act of love, and it is always worth the effort for both the gardener and the visitor. We have so much to learn from each other. True gardeners come for inspiration and leave with joy no matter how perfect or imperfect the garden may be.  By visiting gardens, we understand how to edit our own, be okay with bending the rules, and be confident in our style.

Talking, sharing, and visualizing the garden is as fun to do with others as the time we take for ourselves. Taking time away from my chores is rewarding because I know I will return home happier than spending the whole day weeding.

From my kitchen garden to yours,

Ellen O.

Ellen Ecker Ogden is the author of five books on food and gardens. Her most recent book, The New Heirloom Garden, is available in bookstores. Follow along on Instagram.