“Hortombobulated”
If you know that the meaning of the word discombobulated is “to be thrown into confusion” and you are a gardener, you can readily imply that the meaning of the word “hortombobulated” is something along the lines of “to be thrown into confusion in a garden” or more precisely “to be thrown into confusion on matters related to gardening”.
For the record, I am not personally hortombobulated. I am not confused on matters related to gardening, though sometimes it looks as though I have no idea what I am doing, even after decades of gardening. But for those who do feel hortombobulated right now, hang in there. It is still early July. There is time to get yourself and your garden straightened out before the end of the season.
Generally, most gardeners hoe themselves out of a hortombobulated state. They go out to their gardens and just start weeding, deadheading, trimming, mowing, sweating, and hoeing until they’ve worked everything out and feel less confused and more like their gardens are once again under control.
For severe cases of hortombobulation (is that a word? Oh wait, it is as much of a word as hortombobulated is, never mind), it may be necessary to seek professional help which can come from a general laborer or helpful family member, a garden designer, a gardening therapist or some other qualified individual, depending on the root cause of your hortombobulation. Knowing where it stems from is also helpful in deciding how to address hortombobulation.
Yes, the use of the words “root” and “stem” was intentional.
In other news, I will soon be posting the next installment of the Tale of the Green Bandana Garden Club. Check back later for that.
“May you never be so hortombobulated that you want to give up on gardening entirely.”
At last, a word that describes how I've been feeling!
I really don't know who can help me. I'm completely hortombobulated about my day lilies. Do I love them? Do I hate them? I don't think any amount of weeding or mowing will solve this one.
That is almost a long enough word to warrant a song…it is in any case a wonderfully apt word for a situation all gardeners find themselves in on occasion.
I love this post! I can relate to the statement, "go out to their gardens and just start weeding, deadheading, trimming, mowing, sweating, and hoeing until they've worked everything out and feel less confused and more like their gardens are once again under control."
I am going to link to this post form my blog so my other gardening friends can meet you!
Carol, That's just the perfect word. I find myself in a total state of hortombobulation when I regard parts of my garden. It's a dilemma! gail
I'm not sure if hortombobulated is the same thing as hortwhelmed, but that is how I've been feeling lately. I start weeding in one area and then remember another project I need to do. Before the morning is over I've started four different things without finishing one of them!
I realized I missed your big announcement and had to go back to find out about the Green Bandana Garden Club. Looking forward to reading about this high honor bestowed on you!
I think I'm in the hortwhelmed category. I'm close to just calling this summer a wash.
Hortombobulated – what an excellent word. I shall open up my dictionary and scribble it in the margin immediately!
Or you can do as I did… take the easy way out and marry a psychiatrist. Not only do I NOT have to pay for therapy, but the man loves to weed, deadhead, prune, plant, you name it. Hortombobulated I am not… at least not in terms of the garden. Now my wardrobe, that is surely another matter!