Digital-Free Zone Series: Gardens Un-plugged
There’s just ‘something’ about the sound of rushing water that’s so refreshing. While I do not have a fountain yet (that’s not my garden in the photo above), I do relish the chirping of birds or the buzz of a bumblebee. These are the sounds that make being out in my garden so enjoyable.
What brings me to today’s topic is reflecting on the value of gardens in today’s world. I recently wrote quite an in-depth review of garden trends. Not one to be content with the simple “what”, I’m a “why” person. When I see natural landscaping and dry stream beds catching on in suburban neighborhoods, it’s more than just “cool” landscaping. To surround ourselves with a more natural-looking environment fulfills an essential human need. Why?
I don’t think it’s going out on a limb to suggest that now, more than ever, we must take a break from digital overload. It’s vital to our mental and emotional health. You may remember a time in the 1990s when it was all the rage for rock artists to perform “un-plugged”. No electric guitar, no amplification. Just the pure, unadulterated sound of acoustic instruments.
A digital-free zone
What would a garden be like, unplugged? Or more precisely, the garden-er? It’s getting harder and harder to go anywhere these days without some screen staring you in the face. There’s always something flashing, or beeping trying to get our attention. Where does one go to get away from it all? Maybe there should be a digital-free zone.
That may actually be starting to happen. Have you heard of digital detox dinners? It’s where no one is allowed to use their device during a meal. Someone in the group will pass a basket around the table. Each person in the group then deposits their device into the basket for the duration of the meal. This frees them up to really focus on their friends and participate in the conversation without distractions.
If we can do that in a restaurant, certainly we can do it in the garden.
The Jane Austen approach
“To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon the verdure is the most perfect refreshment”, Austen remarked. I enthusiastically agree! As a writer and an artist, where do you go to be inspired? Wouldn’t you like to grab a little “downtime” somewhere without interruption every 5 minutes from your mobile device? A garden should be that sacred place.
Trends reveal that homeowners are desiring a bit more privacy. Secluded places like a “secret garden” are a sought after backyard project. Overall, gardens are becoming increasingly beautiful and imaginative places that provide, in Austen’s words: “the most perfect refreshment.”
What if you declare the garden to be a digital-free zone? I know under certain circumstances it’s not always possible. But could it be something that we strive for? So that the whole purpose of gardens is an experience to the fullest.
The Garden as an “experience”
Young people today, crave “experiences”, or so I’ve been told. Come to think of it, some Internet web sites use cookies that supposedly improve our ‘experience’. Business people now concern themselves with customer “experience”. I find it rather amusing.
So, if ‘experience’ is such a big thing, why should the garden be any different? You can’t experience much tranquility in the garden when hurried or pre-occupied. The “experience” is for those who are willing to slow down, un-plug, and embrace it.
Any season offers a full “experience” for the senses. The visual array of color. A fragrant scent. Different textures to feel. Something to taste; a ripe strawberry. Something to hear; birds, or perhaps the gurgle of a water fountain. Some well-placed art adds a touch of personality. Any garden big or small can present an “experience”.
Some final thoughts
In today’s technical world, I’m concerned we’ve lost some things. All the instant gratification of our devices definitely affects our attention span. The result is an inability to reflect and to ponder. To shut off social connections in order to spend any time alone in a thoughtful, reverent state.
The Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero said: “if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
I would like to hope that the trends reflect a renewed interest in the garden. If you’ve got kids, or grandkids, you can help them discover the natural world. It will help improve their power of observation as well as their ability to be content in a digital-free zone. The garden is a fascinating and enchanting place!
What do you see? A butterfly, an earthworm, an ant…
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Hooray for digital detox time! One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit on a porch, read a book and/or paint while the birds flutter by and a soft breeze rustles the leaves on the trees.
Yes! Yes and Yes! There’s much to rejuvenate the soul if we let it. Thank you for your comments!