Exactly. I give more credits to linux, and it deserves this. I like your garden metaphor, yes my linux pc is like my garden and linux behaves to be, unlike windows.

i started with mandrake linux in 2002, and now i use linux mint. i've tried and used a dozen distros in between.

You can install linux on a usb stick instead of your hard disk. i have done it before. But i don't really remember the steps. I have done it trial and error.

You can first disable it and give a try.