06/24/2022
What is chaos, really?
Forests, grasslands, coral reefs, they're all complex ecosystems with countless links and connections. Life supports life, from the extensive fungal networks in the soil to the ancient canopy giants that shade the forest floor.
It's interesting to contrast these complex natural systems with the intensive human-mediated natural systems that we see as being harmonious. Disorder in the suburbs can to some people look like a lawn left unmowed, dandelions sprouting on the edge of a path, or last season's lettuce plants setting flowers and seeds in your veggie beds. Let's throw away our notions of what order and chaos are meant to look like, and instead embrace the mulch, the flowers, the seeds, the insects and the long grass. A 'perfect' garden isn't necessarily as harmonious as it seems, and a bit of chaos invites those many connections between the elements of the system that nurture each other.