It’s chaos as small jobs become big jobs, tools disappear and distractions lead to furious frustration. Then you spot spring’s first flower ...There’s no such thing as gardeners’ block, I once read. This from, I believe, a famous writer who was making the point that if you’ve got writers’ block, you should just go and do something else for a bit. Point taken. There is no such thing as gardeners’ block because if you get stuck doing one job, even in the smallest garden, there are roughly 10m other jobs you can be cracking on with. Which is quite right. And this is what makes gardening either the worst thing for you if – like me – you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or possibly the best.I stride into the garden full of purpose and ambition, with a smile on my face. Invariably, several hours later, I stagger out of there, aching all over, scratched, bloodied, filthy and demoralised, having dug, scraped, cursed and carried myself to physical and mental exhaust...
Adrian Chiles recounts his chaotic and physically demanding gardening experiences, exacerbated by ADHD. His attempts to tackle small tasks often spiral into overwhelming projects, leading to frustration and exhaustion. Despite the endless cycle of work, he finds solace in the beauty of nature, yet remains aware of the bittersweet mix of accomplishment and defeat that gardening brings.
