Cultivating Beauty: Joseph Joubert and the Gardener’s Philosophy
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
May 6, 1754
On this day, dear cultivators of beauty and wisdom, we celebrate the birth of Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist whose thoughts have blossomed through the ages like perennial flowers in a well-tended garden.
Joubert, though perhaps not a household name among the general populace, is a figure of great intrigue to those who appreciate the art of profound contemplation.
His legacy lies primarily in his Pensées (pronounced "Pon-see," for those unfamiliar with the French tongue), a collection of thoughts published posthumously, much like seeds scattered after a gardener's final season.
Among these literary seedlings, one particular thought takes root in our horticultural hearts:
All gardeners live in beautiful places because they make them so.
Oh, how this simple yet profound observation resonates with us, fellow stewards of the earth!
Can you not feel the truth of it in your very bones, caked as they may be with the rich soil of your labors?
Indeed, is this not the very essence of our passion?
We do not merely inhabit beautiful spaces; we create them, nurture them, coax them into existence with our bare hands and determined spirits. A patch of bare earth becomes a riot of color, a tangle of weeds transforms into an oasis of order and beauty, all through the alchemical magic of gardening.
As we commemorate Joubert's natal day, let us ponder: how have we made our own spaces beautiful?
Perhaps you've cultivated a rose garden that would make Empress Joséphine herself weep with envy.
Or maybe you've transformed a humble window box into a miniature Eden, bursting with herbs and blooms.
Joubert's words remind us that gardening is not merely a hobby, but a profound act of creation and transformation.
We are not simply tending to plants; we are crafting beauty, cultivating joy, and in our own small way, improving the very world around us.
So, on this day of Joubert's birth, let us celebrate not only the man and his thoughts but also our own role as creators of beauty. Step out into your garden, dear friends, and look upon it with fresh eyes.
See not just the plants and flowers, but the living testament to your vision and labor.
And remember, in the sage words of Joubert, that you live in a beautiful place - because you have made it so.
