Do you find that you are an ambassador for gardening? Have you ever tried to get another person into it? It was my brother that got me into it because he is a garden designer but I'm sure I was already primed before then. I feel that GardenStew is the way of passing on that gift. Does someone have to be already interested in nature to get into gardening?
I didn't really get into it until after I retired. Then I used it to fill in time gaps during the day. Also about that time my wife went back to work and didn't have time for it, so I took it over. Some of it has to go back to when I was a kid, growing up on the farm.
I've finally got my eldest lads partner into gardening by sheer dogged persistence!!! She had plastic flowers in pots and in hanging baskets would you believe. Now, at long last, the plastic flowers have been consigned to the rubbish and she has all her planters full of lovely fresh plants. :-D
I know that by building a pond in someone's back yard, I have gotten them at least outside the door rather than in front of the TV. Occasionally I noticed that new flowers had been planted in the surrounding gardens, or new water lilies put in the pond. I'm not sure I turned anyone into a gardener, but at least they started to appreciate being surrounded by their green connections. Jan, the pondlady in New Orleans
I keep trying to get my kids to get into it, but so far I've little success... maybe when they're older, eh? I have gotten a couple relatives back into it after they hadn't been for a while. Hard to find people who just love to garden instead of loving to look at a garden someone else has done.
I am working on one of the demo girls at work. She recently moved onto some new land. She fell in love with the totems, bought 2. I told her when she is ready to do her flower bed(s) to let me know and I will help her out with some plants. I keep reminding her. I think she will come around this spring. My love of gardening came from my parents. We never bought veggies at the store. Everything we ate was raised and canned or frozen. I remember helping Mom plant everything from seed, flowers and veggies. I love starting my plants from seed. It is so satisfying to see them bloom or bear fruit. One day I will hopefully have more time to dedicate to what I love doing.
Your hibiscus Your photo is fantastic!! Enter it in some competition. It was born to win. Jan, the pondlady in New Orleans
Thanks Jan, but alas, I cannot take credit. My oldest daughter takes most of my photos. She is very good, a natural.
Photo WOW, I agree with Jan, Cajun... that is a gorgeous pic... now, maybe your daughter can point that lens at you and we can get a pic heh...
Let's try to keep the thread on-topic guys What are you opinions on the way gardening is introduced to kids in school? Personally I can't remember doing anything gardening related through my school. I suppose when I got around to studying biology that was the first real taste of all things organic.
