Retirement Gardening can be
Enjoyable and Beneficial
Retirement gardening is extremely popular and it’s easy to see why. Almost every child planted seeds of some kind either as a part of a school experiment or a parent/child activity. It was pretty amazing to me to see something sprout out of the dirt from a little seed and, somehow, the vegetables almost seemed to taste better if they came out of your own garden. But the fact is, retirement gardening is one of the best things you can do for a lot of reasons.
Certainly the produce you grow is fresher and the purity is “guaranteed” because you, as the gardener, will be careful to keep your garden organic and not use harmful sprays. There is a thrill to serve a salad where all the ingredients have come from your own garden. Home grown tomatoes, for example, have developed such a following there are even contests for the best ones. Nothing tastes better than a fresh picked piece of fruit or vegetable from right outside your door. Even better, the fruit and produce are usually a notch above what you can buy in a grocery store and at a cheaper price. Yes, growing things in your own garden can help cut your food costs.
But, retirement gardening is also a good thing to do physically because of the exercise and even mentally because of the planning and organization skills that are involved. The activity level is light so that can be a way to get a little exercise in an almost painless way. You’ll know why it’s “almost painless” after your first day of hauling soil and lifting flowerpots. The mental aspect of retirement gardening is often overlooked but anything that forces you to plan and organize will help keep you mentally active.
Retirement gardening does not have to be limited to vegetables or fruit by any means. The flowers and shrubs that you plant can also bring a tremendous sense of satisfaction as you watch the trees and plants bloom with vibrant colors. That’s the design aspect of retirement gardening really comes into play. Coordinating the timing and colors across your property takes work and a little bit of research. A nice garden can be a wonder to behold. We live in a wonderful little community where people take their gardening seriously and it can be quite impressive when you see the work that goes into beautifully manicured properties. That’s another hidden benefit of retirement gardening; a nicely landscaped property can increase the value of the house quite nicely when it comes time to sell your home.
One of the things we do as part of our travel is to visit old homes and many of them, especially in the southern part of the United States, have beautiful gardens. In the old days we used to hit the amusement parks with our children but, in our retired years, a stroll around a beautifully kept garden is quite enjoyable. Some of the gardens like the ones in Mount Vernon and Monticello are incredible in their size and variety of flowers, trees and shrubs. Of course, in these large estates, there are professional gardeners who are working non-stop to keep everything as beautiful as they can. Having said that, some of friends seem to devote their life to their garden. My wife is a member of our local garden club, and she is astonished at how much knowledge her fellow members have.
Anyone who has been to England and not visited an English Garden is missing an experience that will truly make an impression even if you don't know a rose from a gardenia. We found this out during our visit to Blenheim Palace and thought we would be bored by the garden tour that was part of our itinerary. We couldn't have been more wrong. The amount of work and planning that goes into an undertaking of this size is extraordinary. It isn't just a garden. It's a display of nature's beauty that is timed throughout the year to be a source of endless fascination, beauty and color. It's amazing how much you can learn when you open your mind to new experiences. It is the primary reason we always employ the services of a competent tour guide when we travel abroad. After all, you spend a lot of time and money to get there, so why not maximize those travel dollars and learn as much as you can. We have never been disappointed, and we always come back with knowledge and memories that we would not have had if we had tried to see everything on our own.
Retirement Gardening is a gift that you give to all of your visitors and friends.
Retirement gardening is a wonderful pastime to start or maintain as you look for ways to Enjoy Retired Life. It’s truly a gift that you not only give to yourself but to others as well. You gain even more of an appreciation for the beautiful world we live in. You’ll find the hobby to be extremely popular and there are many clubs that are formed if that’s what you’re looking for. Nearly every senior citizen center will have a local chapter and it’s a great way to meet new friends, learn new things and stay mentally and physically active. There are many retirees who have taken up gardening as a hobby and fallen in love with this wonderful activity. You might even turn your hobby into an income like a couple of our friends have. One supplies a local florist, and another created her own website where she shares her passion for roses. Her dream is to create her own hybrid rose. Why not? Retirement was made to try new things and do the things you always dreamed about. Get out there and give it a try. It's time to Enjoy Retired Life!
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