While we introverts will almost always feel like we’re floundering in a room filled with people, we’re also very good at finding quiet spaces to recharge. After all, we need those moments of replenishment more than most, and creating sanctuaries in which to do that feels key. Often, these sanctuaries will be within our homes themselves, but it’s also true to say that we also sometimes find peace in our gardens.
That’s hardly surprising, seeing as there have always been links between introversion and gardening, which is a great hobby that thrives on peace and methodical work. As well as providing nourishing time in nature, getting stuck into gardening can be a rewarding way to spend a few solitary hours and still see returns from our time spent recharging.
As a result of gentle tending and potentially years of work, our gardens as introverts also tend to develop some interesting life lessons of their own. In this article, we’ll consider what those lessons are and what we could all learn from them.
1. Great Things Take Time
While a busy extrovert might tend their garden once or twice a year to tackle big, obvious jobs like deweeding and planting, we introverts are more likely to head outside all season long. During that time, we focus less on big jobs that change the entire appearance of our gardens, and more on the small things that, when stacked together, create a truly astounding outdoor space.
For instance, we may focus in more detail on things like encouraging natural growth, or making sure to cover every corner with that electric push mower. We may also spend more time focusing on garden intricacies, such as encouraging natural habitats or planting according to the season.
The result is almost always a carefully tailored outdoor space, which offers more for the eye the longer you’re looking. This is a fantastic lesson in the importance of taking time to create great things. Yes, tackling big-picture concerns is important, but it’s only once you look past the obvious to those finer details that you really begin to create something beautiful.
2. Not Everything Has to Please Others
Often, garden design is a kind of display, which focuses on color and appearance over the importance of natural harmony. As introverts, we’re far less likely to need external validation, meaning that our outdoor focuses aren’t usually as appearance-centric.
A great example of this can be seen in the flowerbeds that we’re likely to choose. Far from reaching for bright, bold flowers that potentially won’t grow as well as they should, we’re more likely to fill our gardens with seasonal, local plant growth, which creates balance even if it isn’t the brightest flowerbed filler.
This focus on what works over what looks good is key to creating a harmonious, flourishing outdoor space that also serves as a fantastic base for natural wildlife and the joys that come with it. And the lesson here is plain – not everything in life has to be a show to be beautiful. Sometimes, leaning on simplicity and what works best is a far more effective way to create the long-standing results that you want.
This lesson is relevant to everyone, but it especially rings true for us. While we’re not necessarily social flowers, we can still ground ourselves with firm roots and belonging by simply taking a more gentle approach based on what truly works for us.
3. Privacy can Prove Transformative
In modern life, privacy can feel hard to come by. Since the invention of social media, there’s been a real focus on sharing every aspect of our lives, and our gardens are really no different. From raised patios to city balconies, gardening trends in recent years have shifted towards more public spaces. We introverts tend to steer clear of this trend and lean towards creating more private spaces that actually make us want to spend time outside, thanks to everything from protective plant growth to trellised areas and beyond.
This zoned approach to gardening can be amazing for creating an iconic outdoor space, as it ensures peaceful areas that are well-suited to current trends like meditation spaces and even outdoor kitchens. Thinking about where to create privacy outside can also help you to adjust design expectations and create something truly unique and well-suited.
The peace that can be found from sitting in a truly hidden corner of the garden also provides a fantastic lesson in the importance of slowing down and stepping back. Again, this ties in with the fact that not everything needs to be a display. It also highlights the fact that, introvert or not, we should be creating more calm spaces in our lives, which will subsequently help us to handle a manic world.
4. Time in Nature Still Matters
Garden design nowadays doesn’t always center around nature. In fact, many of the things we do in our gardens actively serve to dissuade natural invasions, with many homeowners even going as far as removing greenery from their yards altogether.
Thanks to an increased likelihood of careful consideration surrounding local plants and so on, this is a trend that many of us more introverted gardeners are turning away from. It’s certainly more likely that we’ll prioritize unaesthetic, but undeniably vital areas like overgrowth or dedicated spaces for wildlife.
This is vital not just for the preservation of natural habitats, but also in a personal sense, as it’s a great reminder about the importance of spending time in nature, even in a digital age. After all, few spaces can be more replenishing than a quiet corner of the garden, where we’ve got a first-hand seat to nature at its finest without distractions, or the energy they so often cost us.
Conclusion
As introverts, we’re naturally inclined to spend time in quiet, rejuvenating spaces like the outdoors. As a result, our gardens can be interesting lessons in survival, both when it comes to creating the ideal outdoor space, and when navigating social situations, societal expectations, and everything in between.
