Gardening

Garden as in making.

I spent an hour in my garden this morning. I nearly didn’t go out, the weather was a bit iffy, the tools put away. It would be better if I had more time. These thoughts I recognise as similar to the ones I have before making work. It comes with overwhelm. The garden is full of jobs at the moment and I don’t really know (with confidence) where to begin. With my making there is an endless list of things I could do, should do, have to do, that starting and choosing is always a hurdle.

Once I got in my garden, with the idea that a few small jobs was perfectly reasonable in the hour I had, I remembered how much I enjoy just being in the garden. One job leads to another, all is well and time is spent.  I began thinking of my creative practice and that feeling of dread before starting a thing that ultimately brings great pleasure. I wonder if the word starting is problematic? As standing in my garden I realised I haven’t started anything- its a continuation. Especially now the main structural work is complete, the garden is a continual living entity- I can’t really start it. My studio is similar, I wonder if next time I feel the dread and the procrastination avoidance I should just be in the space. If anything this will spark joy in the same way my garden does.