Photo of the Week: Rosebud. The house I live in now was previously owned by a Master Gardener. I am not a Master Gardner. In fact, I am not really an amateur gardener either. The yard is big and planted with beautiful flowers and shrubs. I was excited to move in and get to see the blooms throughout the year.

At this point, four years later, the garden is a kind of “experiment.” Early on, feeling overwhelmed and a little embarrassed while giving a tour of the garden, I saw one plant I could actually identify as a weed. I made a statement about needing to pull it out. My brother, a scientist, said “No! That plant is great for birds!” I thought this was wonderful! Less weeding!

As the garden becomes more and more overgrown through the years, I find I enjoy it more. There are a lot of weeds. And there are still the ornamental plants. Also, we are adding native plants that require very little maintenance and benefit the birds and bugs in the area.

I understand weeds can choke out other plants. My husband has grown more interested in tending to the garden and he sometimes removes weeds. But what I have found is that the weeds add dimension to the garden–height and texture. Ours is not a silent, manicured space. It is alive with birds and the sounds of bugs. We keep trimmed pathways and every time I walk them, I see new things–it is an adventure!

I think there are obvious metaphors regarding gardening, gardeners, and weeds. This is what strikes me today, though: so much is in the eye of the beholder. What we, as a society, consider a “healthy yard” has changed as we learn more. Dandelions were once considered harmful. Bradford pears were once considered beautiful additions. Now, many allow dandelions, and naturalists want people to rid their yards of Bradford pears. What is a timeless fact is that plants affect each other, and therefore, the larger environment. We humans continue to learn. As we learn, we can be open to changing our view of what is helpful or harmful. This applies to physical and mental health. Continual learning is so important.

What have you learned that has changed your view over time? How do you tend your mental health garden?