How Gardening Healed Me

Summary

The author describes how gardening, particularly with succulents, played a therapeutic role in their recovery from lung cancer surgery and led to a fulfilling hobby.

Abstract

The article titled "How Gardening Healed Me" is a personal narrative detailing the author's journey to healing through gardening after undergoing a lung lobectomy due to cancer. Despite not being a smoker and advocating against leaf blowers, the author faced the challenge of lung cancer. During recovery, they found solace in watching YouTube videos about succulent gardening, which became a source of inspiration and motivation. The author particularly mentions the influence of Laura Eubanks from Design For Serenity for her informative and engaging tutorials. The act of gardening served as a form of meditation, allowing the author to manage pain and engage with nature. The article emphasizes the joy of planting succulents in Southern California's favorable climate, the success of creating tapestry gardens, and the discovery of Lithops. The author encourages others, even those without yards, to try gardening in pots as a means of recovery and happiness.

Opinions

The author has a strong affinity for gardening, especially succulents, which they believe aided in their recovery.
They hold Laura Eubanks in high regard, recommending her videos for their educational value and genuine desire to help others learn about gardening.
Gardening is portrayed as a pain-relieving, meditative activity that offers mental escape and emotional healing.
The author expresses enthusiasm for the ease of growing succulents in their region and the beauty of tapestry gardens.
They suggest that gardening, even in small spaces with pots, can be incredibly rewarding and beneficial for those recovering from major surgery or dealing with unhappiness.
The author reveals a newfound love for Lithops, indicating their ongoing curiosity and engagement with the world of gardening.

My gardening addiction.

My front yard-courtesy of the author. Yellow blooming tree is a Palo Verde. The burgandy tree is a redbud. Leaves are in the shape of hearts!

I love to garden. I know, that’s an overused statement, but it helped me heal big time. A year and a half ago I had a lung lobectomy for a cancerous tumor in my right lung. I don’t smoke. I’m the one who hates leaf blowers. (For more info, read my posting re leaf blowers.)

Anyway, one of the things that kept me going for the several months I had to lay about is watching YouTube videos about growing succulents. OMG! I was hooked. Laura Eubanks is an amazing plant enthusiast. Her business is Design For Serenity. I recommend watching her videos as she is so helpful and really wants you to learn from her. She literally shows you how to do it.

Anyway, I’m lying in bed with major pain in my rib cage cuz they cut me in 5 different places and apparently cut all the nerves as well. My energy was beginning to come back and lo and behold, I went out and played in my garden. When I garden, I feel no pain, I’m so involved in Mother Nature and all she has to offer, that it’s almost like meditating.

I started planting everything succulent. I live in Southern California and you can take any cutting from any succulent and it will thrive. We have about 3 dozen agaves (attenuata) that seem to multiply while I’m sleeping.

Pot of succulents-courtesy of the author.

I learned how to create tapestry gardens with succulents in the ground and in pots. I started with this pot of colorful succulents — sticks on fire, echeveria, aeonium, kalanchoes and the little periwinkle colored trailing flower (can’t remember the name right now) I decided it looked good so it stayed.

So for anyone who is recovering from a major surgery or unhappy event, just watch YouTube videos on gardening and you will feel so much better. If you don’t have a yard, pots are perfect for succulents and they are so rewarding.

Just discovered Lithops! I’m in love.

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Happy planting!