My parents never really gardened, but both sets of grandparents did. So mostly there was always a garden around. As a young married it was a way to feed the kinder. Post children it was a way to get out and do something. Something fun, something alive. Something to entertain others. For food tastey enough to want to eat...
From leaving home I always had a shared yard so never really had an interest. Then in 2004 I had a lovely 80ft long garden that was crying out to be made over and I had different rooms to the garden, heights etc, had railway sleeper beds, a herb garden and had a stone sink water feature... have since seen it on google earth and the lot has gone and is just plain grass The hosue I'm in now the garden is really small and it was just paving stones when we moved in. It's a sun spot and again was crying out to be made over and I had at this point already got the gardening bug.
I enjoy learning new skills that could possibly used in an unexpected lifestyle change situation. I also enjoy being alone with my thoughts as I help set conditions for a growing organism. Beyond that comes the engineering and "what if" process of creating greater efficiency and maximizing growing conditions. Getting the most high quality produce onto the dinner plate and into canning for longer term enjoyment. SO simple yet so good for the soul!!
My mama and tia had flowers when I was little, but I never developed the interest in them.. I was much more interested in the pillbugs, spiders, worms and the occasion snake, climbing the mimosa and reading under my wisteria "tent". My Love was home one weekend about 2 years ago and asked, What do you think about trying to grow a few veggies? Those who have read my introduction on the welcome blog KNOW he asked this with a grin on his face and full knowledge of the potential loss of cash from our bank account, not to mention the fire hazard from the funeral pyre for the dead plant bodies! All that said to FINALLY get to the point. With my love being a truckdriver and rarely home, we nuture mutual interests and start a new one every few years. So I OF COURSE adoringly (please don't ask his viewpoint on this)agreed. We added more this year and will likely add more next year. I send him pics every day at times and he's finally found something I don't whine about when we windowshop
click this link. explained it all in my intro to the forum. http://www.gardenstew.com/about21745.html
I started up with granmother mostly veggies. But neighbor had nicest flower beds. Thought when I get my own house I also would have.then to lot of flower swaps. I have to cut back getting older. And plants I din't read about couple fast growers have taked over. :Lol:
I have always had an interest in tropical plants, I guess since, I was 18. Now at 61 I am just learning about native, or cold weather, plants. I have put plants where they should never been plants. Tall ones in front of short ones, shade lovers in the full sun. My hubby put a pussy willow in a little spot along a fence and now its over 8 feet tall and overtaking that fence. All will be moved when it's time. It has been fun, and allot of extra work, on this journey of "outdoor" plants.
When I was little I lived in Washington State. Gardening was the general rithem up there. My parents were involved in gardening. My grandparents had their whole backyard landscaped. When I was little they had strawberries growing. I always loved picking the strawberries for pies ice creme just about anything. At a park in my childhood neighborhood had a community garden. Through the years we moved to Texas. Growing up in Texas had a whole new perspective on gardening in a hotter rougher climate. I got more and more involved in growing, watching success happen before my eyes, having something to be proud of. I like water, so water gardening and ponds always make me happier. A garden is nice, but it's even nicer with water, water lilies, fountains, waterfalls, streams. Always the icing on the cake. Especially on a hot Texas summer, nothing like moving water in the garden.
As a child I remember my maternal grandmother's strawberry patch was always huge. She didn't freeze but canned them and trust me, after eating brown, mushy berries all winter, you're ready for fresh strawberries! She would send us out to pick blackberries and poke. I would love to be able to do all that today but old age has caught up wit me, lol. I have a few containers around the back door and look forward to that first ripe tomato.
Mama gardened; Aunt Zora gardened, even Daddy gardened, so I guess it was just the most natural thing to do. I had my own veggie garden when I was 12 or 13 & have had both flower & veggie gardens, ever since. It's nice to see this love passed on, too. My older son is a very accomplished & perfectionist gardener & my daughter ( who lives in downtown Los Angeles) has her very pretty garden in pots on each of the 20 or so steps leading down to the street.
I began as 17 and after a particularly inspiring English teacher talked about the need to cut out on waste, I approached her and she told me composting is a good way to go about it. So, before leaving for school, I used to do it in our barren plot of land. Not before long, sprouts were up and among them was one marigold flower. Being mad about marigolds, I decided to start growing marigolds. Over the years, I started developing a wider perspective and started expanding mum's container gardening as well. Grandma then likened my passion for gardening to that of my late grandpa (whose mango and litchi trees are still reaping fruits for his grandchildren today!) and that moved me to tears and motivated me even further to continue the legacy. Since then, there's been no looking back
My sweet little daycare charges will have THIS story to tell..... For several years we've been learning about composting, gardening and being kind to our earth in various ways. Sometimes we have a tabletop hydroponic garden of herbs. Sometimes we sprout tasty things for salads in the winter. We have a great herb garden outside and we use lots of them to make safe cleaners for the house.We have been picking blackberries from our hedgerow for days now. The other day the 5 year old and I harvested a bowlful of red, ripe, sweet cherry tomatoes and a cucumber from our veggie garden. He asked for some Ranch dressing and I explained, "I don't think you'll need it with fresh things from the garden." He took a bite and agreed! I think one of their favorite memories will be the Venus Fly Trap we just started indoors!
Gardening is an excellent hobby to have. Some do it because they enjoy the pleasure they get from seeing what they've achieved. Another benefit gardening has is that its a good way to keep fit. All that weed pulling and heavy lifting can really pay off.
