Gasping about initial lack of gardening (8)
I believe the answer is:
planting
'gardening' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'gasping about initial lack' is the wordplay.
'gasping' becomes 'panting' ('pant' can be a synonym of 'gasp').
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'initial' indicates taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'lack' is 'l'.
'panting' enclosing 'l' is 'PLANTING'.
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for planting that I've seen before include "Placing in the ground for growth" , "Putting into ground for growth" , "Putting (seed) in earth" .)