Agoraphobia is the fear of being in open spaces. And a hint of this primordial fear is present in all of us. Perhaps "fear" is too strong a word in this context. Let's just say that for some reason or other, we all feel more at ease, more relaxed and more secure in enclosed areas - such as our homes, our porches, and our gardens.

Perhaps this predilection for enclosure can be attributed to ancestral memories. Memories formed when our mammalian precursors hid in burrows and dens, or when our hominid ancestors cowered in caves. then again, it may go back no farther than our own buried childhood memories, to the sense of safety conferred by cradle, crib or playpen.

In early times, enclosure provided protection against such threats as roving carnivores, Mongol hordes, marauding bands of seriously disgruntled peasants, and the not-to-be-lightly-dismissed possibility of dragons. It wasn't until after the Renaissance that Europeans drained theor moats and let their guard down. But - significantly- they continued to maintain the artifacts of enclosure.

Whatever its etiology, the walls and fences that surround us engender a deep-rooted feeling of security, serenity and peace of mind. They're an essential part of what makes a garden a garden. So, by all means, let us continue to create enclosure. And by so doing, maybe we'll be able to keep all those dragons - real or imagined - at bay.

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