Sunday Has a Different Feel | Marcus Bergin's Garden Notebook
THE SEASONS
Marcus Bergin
7/19/20262 min read
Sunday Has a Different Feel
There's something about a Sunday in the garden that feels different from any other day of the week.
Perhaps it's because there's nowhere particular to be. The alarm doesn't need to be set quite so early, the roads are a little quieter, and the pace of the day seems to soften almost without anyone noticing. Even the gardens themselves somehow feel different, although I know that's probably more about us than the plants.
This morning, the air was a little cooler than it has been recently. After weeks of relentless heat, it was a welcome change. The garden felt more comfortable to walk around, and yet one thing hasn't changed. The ground is still dry. The borders are still waiting for rain that refuses to arrive, and every gardener I speak to seems to glance towards the sky with the same quiet hope.
It's remarkable how quickly weather becomes part of our conversations.
A few months ago, we were talking about late frosts, soggy lawns and whether spring would ever really get going. Now we're discussing watering cans, scorched grass and how long the dry spell might continue. Gardening has a habit of keeping us firmly connected to the seasons because, unlike so many other hobbies, we can't simply ignore what nature is doing. We work with it every single day.
Perhaps that's one of the reasons Sundays are so enjoyable.
There's often no pressure to complete a particular job. Instead, it's a chance to wander. To deadhead a few flowers, pull a handful of weeds or simply sit with a cup of tea and notice what has changed during the week. Sometimes those quiet walks tell us far more about a garden than a whole day spent working in it.
I've always believed that gardens should be lived in as much as they are worked in.
It's easy to become so focused on the jobs still waiting to be done that we forget to enjoy the space we've already created. There will always be another hedge to trim, another border to weed and another lawn that could probably do with mowing. Gardens are wonderfully patient like that. The work is never truly finished, and perhaps that's exactly as it should be.
This evening, many gardeners will already be thinking about the week ahead. I know I will. There are gardens to visit, projects to continue and plenty of time to spend outdoors if the weather allows. But for now, I'm quite happy to let Sunday remain Sunday for just a little while longer.
Because before another busy week begins, it's nice to simply stand still for a moment.
To listen to the birds.
To look at the borders.
To notice that, despite the dry weather, despite the jobs that still need doing and despite the changing seasons, the garden is quietly carrying on.
And somehow, I find that rather reassuring.
Marcus
