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Artistry vs. Husbandry
Roger wrote:
> A couple years ago Karen Randall asked an open question to the list.
> Paraphrasing, "what are your priorites as an aquatic gardener?" Most of
> the respondents replied that their first or second priority was to have
> a beautiful aquarium. Karen, as I recall, was surprised by that. I
> think she expected most people to follow more traditional gardening
> goals; growing more kinds of plants, or maybe growing plants bigger or
> growing plants faster.
Well, I can't remember exactly what I wrote, what I was responding to
(context) or whether it was correctly interpreted. But I DO know for SURE
that I, personally, have never put the goals of "growing more kinds of
plants, or maybe growing plants bigger or growing plants faster" above the
goal of a beautiful aquarium. I am an avid perennial gardener as well, and
my first and highest goal there, as well as in my aquarium is beauty. (not
at the expense of other aspects, because a tank or a garden won't be
beautiful if the plants aren't healthy. But they are the means to an end) I
have said many times that I do not keep "experimental" tanks. I have a few
large tanks, and they are all in highly trafficked areas of the house. (two
in the family and one in our formal dining room) They would not be there if
they were not beautiful.
I must admit that I do suffer from "one more plant-itis" from time to
time... It's hard to resist playing with a beautiful new plant that I've
never seen before. But I think that is largely just because I only keep 3
tanks. I can't set up a new tank just to showcase a particular new plant.
Still, collecting is not my goal, it's my vice.<g> Anyone who has seen my
tanks, and many of you have, either in person or through photos, has seen
that they are pretty tanks. Not with the prescision or artistry of Amano's
tanks...but pretty none the less. I can't draw like Escher, but it doesn't
stop me from working in that medium either ;-)
Karen