We all have our preferred way of doing something. I may be guilty of reloading the dishwasher so that all of the plates are facing the “right” way. Is that necessary? Absolutely not. Is it a waste of my time? Most definitely. Am I still going to do it? If I’m being honest, yes.
There are plenty of situations where it’s obvious that there is a right or wrong way of doing things, but there are also many instances where you can achieve the same result through myriad different ways. I was reminded of this last week while I was watching our daughters put together puzzles. Our oldest, Abby, systematically put the edges of her puzzle together first and had the rest of her pieces color-coded and stacked neatly waiting their turn. At the same time, Maddy contentedly worked on her puzzle nearby. Her pieces were scattered randomly across the table, and she appeared to be putting the puzzle together from the inside out. My brain struggled to figure out her logic in approaching the puzzle in such a disorganized manner. It didn’t matter though. Both girls finished their respective puzzles within minutes of each other, and both were proud of themselves for their accomplishments. The end goal was achieved even though the task was approached in very different ways.
I often find this situation true when it comes to gardening. Many of us have garden goals: a beautiful landscaping around our homes, a fruit forest in the backyard, or a pollinator garden that attracts bees and butterflies. It’s the various ways we go about achieving these goals that make us unique. Some would like to knock an entire project out at once, another may like to slowly add plants over time, adapting as they go. There is no right or wrong way to do it. As long as you continue growing and learning along the way, sooner or later you will achieve your goals and possibly so much more.
The next time you’re feeling uncertain about your approach to gardening, remember there’s not always a right or wrong way, but there is your way and that’s what makes your garden special.
