My father-in-law was a master gardener. Growing plants seemed effortless for him; it was magic. Give him a half-dead plant and within weeks he would resurrect it. When I expressed interest in adopting a few Mums to cover up my mud addiction, my father-in-law was more than willing to help me out. What I didn’t realize then was avid gardeners are plant pushers. Plants produce more plants. Eventually a gardener runs out of space and it’s hard to throw a nice plant into the mulch pile. So you push it off onto someone else. It’s great gig; the extra plants find homes and people thank you for your generosity! With my adopted plants, my beloved dirt, I was off running…well digging and watering. I am sorry to say, that garden failed after the second season.
I didn’t take the time to stop and think about what I wanted from my garden and what I was willing to invest in it. I skipped the research, and went straight for the mud. Gardens are a wonderful hobby, but if you plant the wrong thing, or take on too much, a garden can become a burden. The first question a fledgling garden should ask is, “What do I want out of a garden?” The answers are numerous: exercise, food, relaxation, beauty, admiration or an excuse to go outside and get dirty. As with all events in life, you need a plan. All plans must comply with the initial need. So ask yourself what you expect to receive from a garden and how much are you willing to spend in time, energy and money. If you have already started to dig, don’t get too upset. Gardens are always a work in progress. I am constantly moving plants around, but then I simply wanted an excuse to get dirty.
These sites share garden experiences.
"Why Garden?" is a great read.
Paul McKenzie writes about the pros and cons of gardening.
If you don't have the space, think about Community Gardens.
Victory Grower is a great resource for the beginner.
Boston Gardens provides a list of top reasons to garden.
"Why Garden? Because It's Spring" gives a realistic view of gardening...another point of view.
Start with these. I'll add more great sites as I find them.
I didn’t take the time to stop and think about what I wanted from my garden and what I was willing to invest in it. I skipped the research, and went straight for the mud. Gardens are a wonderful hobby, but if you plant the wrong thing, or take on too much, a garden can become a burden. The first question a fledgling garden should ask is, “What do I want out of a garden?” The answers are numerous: exercise, food, relaxation, beauty, admiration or an excuse to go outside and get dirty. As with all events in life, you need a plan. All plans must comply with the initial need. So ask yourself what you expect to receive from a garden and how much are you willing to spend in time, energy and money. If you have already started to dig, don’t get too upset. Gardens are always a work in progress. I am constantly moving plants around, but then I simply wanted an excuse to get dirty.
These sites share garden experiences.
"Why Garden?" is a great read.
Paul McKenzie writes about the pros and cons of gardening.
If you don't have the space, think about Community Gardens.
Victory Grower is a great resource for the beginner.
Boston Gardens provides a list of top reasons to garden.
"Why Garden? Because It's Spring" gives a realistic view of gardening...another point of view.
Start with these. I'll add more great sites as I find them.
