Do you think gardening becomes more appealing as we age?

[ohfook]

Just musing really. For the past couple years I've really enjoyed just pottering in the garden. I'm still a novice and don't really know what I'm doing but I understand what people mean when they say it's good for the soul. For me a perfect afternoon is one where the dc are out playing in the garden and I'm faffing on putting stuff in plant pots.

But right through my twenties I rented a tiny home with a huge garden and I absolutely hated it. I saw it as such a massive chore with no real pay off. I very rarely spent time in it and the only time I did any gardening really was when the front got so bad I was forced to weed out if sheer shame. Looking back now and that garden was wonderful (nicer than the one we have now) and I could kick myself at the time I spent whinging when I could've been enjoying it.

Anecdotally amongst my friends none of us were interested in gardens in our twenties and early thirties but as we're crossing into our forties more and more are seeing the light. I was just wondering really if this was anybody else's experience and what you think it is.

My whole family on my DM's side are incredibly keen gardeners and my Mum always maintained that when I got my own garden I would be interested too. She was wrong and, 30 years later through various gardens, she's still wrong. I employ a gardener.

Yes, definitely, I am 49 and my interest increases every year. It is linked to having more time and spending more time at home and just having a slower pace of life.

For me it was definitely age related. I remember saying to DH, when much younger, “If I ever start gardening or watching wildlife shows, please shoot me!” Fortunately, he disregarded these instructions, as now I like nothing more than to potter around the garden, and also enjoy the odd wildlife documentary 😊

I've always loved gardening, my dad was obsessed and I think I caught the bug from him. I won a gardening prize when I was 8 (massive stealth boast alert) and got my picture in the local paper.

To be honest, I think I'd go stark raving mad if I didn't have a garden.

Gardens are a luxury that many young people cannot afford. Just got my first garden at age 30.

Maybe.

Around 30yrs old I started to long for somewhere with a garden, rather than my city flat. I moved out to somewhere I rented, with rolling hills and a bit of a garden and loved spending money on adding things - but didn't always have the knowledge or skill or patience to do things right.

Now I'm early 40s I have my own house with a small garden but it is much loved and tended: I spend less and do much more. Every single day involves inspecting what's happening since yesterday and tinkering with something or other.

I also have an allotment and enjoy an afternoon on there, pottering and listening to podcats.

I daydream about the day when I might have a bigger garden to tend and less work to do (so more time to tend it!).

In between homes I also spent 6 month renting an old victorian house with a massive garden that had once been loved but left to go to ruin. I didn't have the time or permission to do anything but I often fantasise about how great it would be to own that garden and be able to carefully bring it back to glory. It had mature trees and shrubs, two clear garden sections plus a massive allotment section with 2 greenhouses and a large pond! How great it would be to be let loose on it

My garden is an absolute work of art l have spent over 30 yrs working on it, and can never imagine losing the love for it, l am never happier than in my garden and its the reason l do the job l do, as l go in early but finish by 12 noon, so have plenty of time to enjoy it, in peace.

I’ve loved gardening since my later twenties. Mid 30’s now and I still love it. My love of it coincided with having children.

This is me too @Eve 😅 although I got into gardening before pregnancy & kids, it’s kind of coexisting. A definite leap from my 20s though, where a trip to the garden centre wouldn’t even cross my mind, and from childhood where it was SO BORING.

Yes, for me it started in mid thirties. I always loved beautiful gardens but had no desire to actually do some gardening when younger. I am always delighted when a teenager or a twenty-something is enthusiastic about gardening, to me it's really cool. My own DC are definitely not enthusiastic (yet)

my friend has a theory that as kids grow up we need to nurture something so turn to plants

There's probably something in this, for me at least.

I've come late to gardening - bought first home at the grand old age of 48 so have never had 'my own garden' before. I'm now mildly obsessed and would rather be pottering in the garden than doing almost anything else.

Kids are grown, more time on my hands, more stability now that there's a chance I might actually live here long enough to see the fruits of my labours.

It gives me huge joy to see things I've planted start to grow!