The Undeniable Order

There is an undeniable order within the chaos of a garden. This appears at first to be a paradox, but as we look more deeply into the workings of the chaotic garden it begins to make sense. Nothing exists in this world without its complimentary opposite. Patterns, trends, triggers and responses to them emerge to create a harmonic balance from an infinite number of variables. This is similar to an orchestra where each instrument contributes its unique disposition to create beauty.

One of the gardener’s goals is to align themselves with that order and harmonize their efforts with it while allowing the chaos to flourish, to help create an ever teetering balance between the order and chaos. This becomes a form of communion. As we unfold the mysteries within the garden, other thoughts will retreat from our understanding in that moment to be unfolded later. Gardening is a constant wonderment with many lessons to be learned, not just about gardening but also about living harmoniously with our other than human relatives. We co-evolve.

To help us understand this chaos of infinite variables we can divide them into 3 general categories. The first is the physical aspects of the soil and climate, the second is the structure and chemistry of the plant and the third is periodic events in the life cycle of a plant.

All of these variables interact with each other and if their relationship is harmonious, it will reward us in many ways. We can amend our soil to provide the fertility requirements of a plant and we can mitigate the negative impact of our climate with irrigation systems and crop protection devises such as row covers. We can alter the structure and chemistry somewhat but we cannot change the periodic events that take place. Those events directly respond to seasonal variations mostly influenced by temperature and to a lesser degree by the length of day which is a seasonal constant.

We are now experiencing what is being called ecological disarray caused by our changing climate. Biological interactions such as the presence of pollinators coinciding with the flowering of a plant are being disrupted. Unlike humans who are born with all their body parts, a plant unfolds new body parts as it matures. From seed to development of leaves to blossoms, fruit, roots, heads and back to seed there is an undeniable order. Each stage is in response to a trigger, some of which are internal, pre-determined, others are external in response to environmental changes and/or availability of nutrients in the soil.

The gardener must be aware of the triggers and how they will impact the plant, altering that impact as necessary and able. John Jeavons, author and founder of the Bio-Intensive System of gardening, helps to clarify this for us by telling us that uninterrupted plant growth is most important. My experience is that water is the carrier of life to the plant. With too little the plant will die, with too much the plant will succumb to a variety of fungal diseases. There is an old saying among growers, particularly greenhouse growers, that he who holds the hose grows the rose. In his book, Second Nature, Michael Pollan tells us that Mother Nature has no plan. By saying this he suggests that she simply responds to circumstances thrown her way and does what is needed to suit her needs.

All things are working their individual, distinct wonders as a member of an organism to the benefit of the whole. I consider the garden as my shaman. Shamans serve the domestic world with their knowledge of the wild world, something of a guide, a mediator, and spiritual leader.

We encourage you to start spending time in your garden. Don't just weed and water it, observe it and take it in. Let it be your shaman, your respite from your everyday routine. Let it be your opportunity to embrace the beauty of chaos.