Anyone Can Be a Gardener
Nothing makes me crazier than hearing ‘I don’t know how to garden’, or ‘I don’t have a green thumb’. Anyone can garden!
Many (many) years ago I told a co-worker I was going to do some weekend gardening with my neighbour. His indignant response? “I didn’t realize you were a gardener.”
Indeed, I had never gardened in my life. My intent was to go to a garden center and pick out plants to cheer up the front of my dreary rental semi. The thought never crossed my mind that this activity required specialized knowledge. His comment planted a seed of doubt.
But I stuck with the plan, bought some plants, put them in the ground and experienced their beauty all summer - with pride in declaring myself a gardener.
The more you learn about gardening (as with most things) the more intimidating it can be. But plants are very forgiving; relatively inexpensive, and while each can come with their own detailed recipe, sun and water will generally get you a good result.
Don’t get knotted up in PH levels, ideal fertilizers or drainage. For the most part your garden center is going to sell what grows in your area - and once you get plants in the ground you can deepen your learning over time. Water and sun (yes, a few plants like shade, but for the most part sun is a flowers friend.).
Fast forward a few years later when my husband and I bought a home. I wanted a garden front lawn (instead of grass). I dug out a grass patch every weekend and off to the garden center we went. Well intended neighbours would inspect my plant hauls and impart endless advice: ‘won’t grow here’, ‘don’t plant too close’ ‘amend your soil’ etc.
I dug holes and filled them with plants. And water.
In hindsite I didn’t even know the difference between a perennial or annual at that time (post on that topic to come), but my garden came back every year bigger and better. It truly brought me joy.
Twenty years on and I have refined my knowledge through trial and error - yes, of course there were failures along the way, but none that caused me to pack up my spade.
Gardening is so satisfying - there can be a new surprise every day in growing season. It’s worth taking the chance. Put a plant in the ground this weekend. Water it. Officially call yourself a gardener.
