i would be lost without somewhere of my own to garden. even though we have no real flower beds with soil deeper than a few inches, we have something and that is better than nothing!

i spend hours in our garden, surrounded by pots and planters full of clematis, sedum, blueberries, strawberries, wisteria, verbena, rosemary, lavender... the list goes on. we have a large maple tree that has doubled in size in three years, and a young fig tree that is almost bursting out of its pot in only its second year with us.

weeding, trimming, planting -- it all gives me an enourmous sense of peace, as well as accomplishment. to plant a tiny seed, see it germinate, plant it out and then watch it grow --that is one of the best feelings in the world for me.

i may not have much in common with my mother, but in this department, i am so much more like her than i realised.

if i am stressed, sad or even angry, being constructive in the garden irons out the wrinkles and kinks.

this writer agrees that gardening can indeed be the best form of therapy.