Gardeners and Psychologists

I'm an amateur psychologist; I think most people are. With a few basic college psychology classes under my belt and a thorough understanding of how television FBI profilers do their 60-minute jobs, it's fairly easy to observe the people around me, strangers and friends alike, and try to figure out what makes them tick. Just as easy as it is on TV. When my wife or daughter share their dreams with me, I can make my interpretations sound perfectly plausible. Comfortable with my pseudo-expertise, I am acutely aware that true psychologists spend years in school and many more years practicing their profession, far surpassing my amateurish efforts.

I'm also a gardener; I think most people are. I'm continually amazed by the number of people I encounter who don't initially volunteer their interest in gardening, but then talk profusely about it once I mention that I'm a master gardener. A recent visit to my doctor uncovered his gardening desires and he quickly volunteered that his RN was a master gardener too. She was trained in California and finds Colorado much more challenging. The three of us talked about gardening in the exam room.

Many people share their dreams, concerns, and phobias with psychologists, whether in the office or on the street. Master Gardeners fill a similar role for people who have desires, doubts, and fears about their garden.

Many people who are amateur psychologists hesitate to admit their interest in psychology and would never claim to be an actual psychologist without education and certification. The same people will gladly espouse their gardening tendencies; however, without formal training like what a master gardener receives, they're also hesitant to call themselves gardeners. That's where I think many people sell themselves short.

The mere act of putting a plant in the ground, or sowing seeds, or regularly watering houseplants makes a person a gardener, in my opinion. The formal definition of gardener is simply "one who tends a garden"; other definitions refine it as someone who "tends or cultivates a garden as a pastime or profession." I define a gardener as a person who gains pleasure or contentment from working with plants.

You'll see references on gardening shows or in articles and books about "amateur gardeners". Many gardeners define themselves that way too. I'd like to see that differentiation disappear. We're not like psychologists where we need certificates to promote ourselves.

Millions of people have plants in their homes and take effort to keep them growing. I have many friends and family members who grow spider plants (or friendship plants as my grandmother called them). They keep the plants healthy, pluck off the babies, pot them, and share them with others. It takes expertise to keep indoor plants alive and even more to propagate them, yet few of them would call themselves gardeners. They should.

A number of people I talk to enjoy planting a tomato seedling and mothering it while they wait for the delicious fruit. When the plant doesn't produce as expected or succumbs to harsh weather, they consider themselves failures, and certainly not "gardeners". I strongly disagree with that assessment. By making the initial and subsequent efforts, they embody the positive aspects of gardening.

I know people, young and old, who have limited space, yet grow plants in pots on a deck or patio. They fill empty spaces with green. They're definitely gardeners.

Gardening is an activity. Being a gardener is merely identifying that you like to take part in that activity. You don't need special training or a certificate or recognition from others. If you like to work with plants, you're a gardener. Many people don't; they're not gardeners.

Sure, we have stratification and titles like "master gardener" or "professional gardener". Gardeners who spend the time and money to receive specialized education or who make a living through gardening deserve those titles. That shouldn't belittle or diminish the accomplishments or enjoyment of gardeners with simple backyard plots or a single tomato plant on their deck.

I think everyday people, gardeners, can give themselves titles when they think it appropriate. A good master gardener friend of mine personified that. He had business cards with his name, address, phone number, and the title of "horticulturist". One online definition of horticulture is "the art or practice of garden cultivation and management." A person who grows plants is a gardener, but a person who has a garden is a horticulturist. I like that.

At the heart of it, it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. What is important is that many of us like to grow plants and we shouldn't feel bad about that. We shouldn't feel inferior to someone else with more plants and a different title. We shouldn't feel hindered by a few plant mistakes. We should embrace our role in making the world a better place through gardening.

I'm an amateur psychologist and a gardener. I'm more proud of the latter.

I'm an amateur psychologist; I think most people are. With a few basic college psychology classes under my belt and a thorough understanding of how television FBI profilers do their 60-minute jobs, it's fairly easy to observe the people around me, strangers and friends alike, and try to figure out what makes them tick. Just as easy as it is on TV. When my wife or daughter share their dreams with me, I can make my interpretations sound perfectly plausible. Comfortable with my pseudo-expertise, I am acutely aware that true psychologists spend years in school and many more years practicing their profession, far surpassing my amateurish efforts.

I'm also a gardener; I think most people are. I'm continually amazed by the number of people I encounter who don't initially volunteer their interest in gardening, but then talk profusely about it once I mention that I'm a master gardener. A recent visit to my doctor uncovered his gardening desires and he quickly volunteered that his RN was a master gardener too. She was trained in California and finds Colorado much more challenging. The three of us talked about gardening in the exam room.

Many people share their dreams, concerns, and phobias with psychologists, whether in the office or on the street. Master Gardeners fill a similar role for people who have desires, doubts, and fears about their garden.

Many people who are amateur psychologists hesitate to admit their interest in psychology and would never claim to be an actual psychologist without education and certification. The same people will gladly espouse their gardening tendencies; however, without formal training like what a master gardener receives, they're also hesitant to call themselves gardeners. That's where I think many people sell themselves short.

The mere act of putting a plant in the ground, or sowing seeds, or regularly watering houseplants makes a person a gardener, in my opinion. The formal definition of gardener is simply "one who tends a garden"; other definitions refine it as someone who "tends or cultivates a garden as a pastime or profession." I define a gardener as a person who gains pleasure or contentment from working with plants.

You'll see references on gardening shows or in articles and books about "amateur gardeners". Many gardeners define themselves that way too. I'd like to see that differentiation disappear. We're not like psychologists where we need certificates to promote ourselves.

Millions of people have plants in their homes and take effort to keep them growing. I have many friends and family members who grow spider plants (or friendship plants as my grandmother called them). They keep the plants healthy, pluck off the babies, pot them, and share them with others. It takes expertise to keep indoor plants alive and even more to propagate them, yet few of them would call themselves gardeners. They should.

A number of people I talk to enjoy planting a tomato seedling and mothering it while they wait for the delicious fruit. When the plant doesn't produce as expected or succumbs to harsh weather, they consider themselves failures, and certainly not "gardeners". I strongly disagree with that assessment. By making the initial and subsequent efforts, they embody the positive aspects of gardening.

I know people, young and old, who have limited space, yet grow plants in pots on a deck or patio. They fill empty spaces with green. They're definitely gardeners.

Gardening is an activity. Being a gardener is merely identifying that you like to take part in that activity. You don't need special training or a certificate or recognition from others. If you like to work with plants, you're a gardener. Many people don't; they're not gardeners.

Sure, we have stratification and titles like "master gardener" or "professional gardener". Gardeners who spend the time and money to receive specialized education or who make a living through gardening deserve those titles. That shouldn't belittle or diminish the accomplishments or enjoyment of gardeners with simple backyard plots or a single tomato plant on their deck.

I think everyday people, gardeners, can give themselves titles when they think it appropriate. A good master gardener friend of mine personified that. He had business cards with his name, address, phone number, and the title of "horticulturist". One online definition of horticulture is "the art or practice of garden cultivation and management." A person who grows plants is a gardener, but a person who has a garden is a horticulturist. I like that.

At the heart of it, it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. What is important is that many of us like to grow plants and we shouldn't feel bad about that. We shouldn't feel inferior to someone else with more plants and a different title. We shouldn't feel hindered by a few plant mistakes. We should embrace our role in making the world a better place through gardening.

I'm an amateur psychologist and a gardener. I'm more proud of the latter.