Last time we had tea together, I shared some gardener’s New Year’s resolutions with you. I’d like to tell you about another article I read that also encourages gardeners. For those of us who have been gardening for a while, we might forget how intimidating it can be for a new gardener to get started. It seems like there is so much to learn, with literally millions of articles of gardening information on-line, plus books and magazines, plus the pressure of seeing beautifully groomed yards in our neighborhood and wondering if we can ever do anything like that. It can make some would-be gardeners just sit back in their lawn chairs and give up before they even begin.
By chance I found a site called The Cook’s Garden (www.cooksgarden.com). Their description is “seeds and plants for gourmet gardeners”. There are interesting garden products to buy, as well as great articles. There was an article called “New to Gardening”, and it is about beginning gardeners, but I think we can all learn from it if we think of ourselves as gardening students. The first point made was that “There’s a gardener in everyone just waiting to sprout”, so we should just get started without fear! It said we should pick our spot with care, whether it is a plot of soil or a container, and make the soil the best that we are able. We should not “over-do” (with work or ambition!) so we don’t get discouraged, but grow something that we can handle and care for well. And if we are really beginner green-thumbs, we should choose easy plants such as radishes, lettuce and beans that will perform well and not let us down.
I thought this was a good “refresher” because sometimes we do take on more than we can reasonably manage; why do we make it so hard on ourselves? Gardening is a joy! We should do all we can to keep it that way!
So I’d say let’s encourage gardeners wherever we can. The days of being considered “a gardener” only if you have acres and acres of garden are thankfully gone. “Gardeners” can have gardens of any size, even if their gardens are grown in containers by their back step. “Gardeners” may not even have a physical garden, only a heartfelt interest in gardening. We can’t say that gardeners who have gardened all their lives (and are now unable to because of health or physical restrictions) are no longer “gardeners”. They may be “armchair” gardeners, but they are gardeners just the same! And always, always encourage junior gardeners!
Next, we should never assume that we know all there is to know about gardening. There is so much to learn, and that’s what makes gardening so much fun! I feel so privileged to know so many wonderful gardening friends, and it is always a joy to share their company and hear about their favorite plant projects. If you are gardening with great success right now, always keep your gardening mind open to new ideas. Visit the library and take out a gardening book on a topic you are not familiar with. Even if you don’t plan to make one, read about Japanese gardens. Even if you prefer geraniums, read about cacti. And if you are comfortable on the computer, go to a search engine and type in a garden-related word and see where it takes you: roses, lemons, carrots, whatever! You might find a new favorite topic.
A housekeeping note: in 2015, the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be holding their meetings on Wednesdays, starting with the first meeting of the new year on Wednesday, February 18. So please mark your calendar and we hope you can join us. That’s Wednesday, February 18.
Have a great week!
