March 16, 2013

Becoming a Master Gardener Part 1


I have been a gardener my entire life. My earliest garden memory is of climbing our backyard vine-engulfed redwood fence. The neighbor's trees hung over into our yard, offering a canopy of shade on blistering days. Shrubs pushed through the weathered slats, reaching out in friendship into our small space. I explored the world as a four year old might: pulling up grass to investigate roots, picking flowers and removing the petals, and later, at a new home in another town, making chains of small white daisies that grew in the meadow next door. And soil! What a wonderful medium for fun! I was dressed in play clothes especially chosen for a child's disregard of dirt. Of course I did not know it, but I was learning art and design, physics, chemistry and architecture. In my play there was constant exploration, observation and discovery. As I "unearthed" my world, I grew with the sounds, sights, smells and feel of the living plant world. I look back upon my green awakening, knowing that it has stayed with me my entire life and am thankful my parents allowed me such freedom to imagine and dream and create.

7 comments:

  1. I have been a dirt lover since I was a very young girl too! I remember playing with the plants in my moms living room and admiring the ones at my grandmothers house...I don't know how young I was when I first wanted my own plant to love...I am so glad I had some opportunity when I was a kid to have my own gardens too!

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  2. This is a good place to write your beautiful thoughts. Annabeth

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  3. You must be so excited that spring is coming! It won't be long until your garden is dressed in its finest!

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  4. We still have piles of snow 4-5 feet high! But the sun shines strongly and it is still light out at 9 PM! Amazing. I've got bulbs started inside, and next week will start the vegetables! I look at Bill's garden and am garden green with envy!

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    1. I know...I want to start gardening, too! Since we are relocating, the only thing that I've started are some herbs inside...But, at least that's something!

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