The joys of volunteering

Being an Herb Garden volunteer has taken on a new dimension for me this year. The garden lost its designer/director when she retired in January, so the volunteers are handling many more of the functions now.

One of the newest functions of being a volunteer is to attempt to propagate many of the extremely unusual herbs and shrubby plants in the Herb Garden. I spent the morning getting my knees and hands very dirty doing so! So hopefully a lot of the things that we grow which are virtually unobtainable in commerce in US will have a way to be introduced into local gardens through our annual Plant Sale :) How about Madder? Dyer's Tickseed? Woad and weld? Almost unknown commercially, but very important to many herb gardeners.

Got to harvest linden flowers, too! Ah, the fragrance! Looking forward to my first cup of linden flower tea in a few days :)

My gosh, woman! when do you sleep? I saw woad & weld on TV, how fun to get to work with the unusual plants! are you taking pics?

Alas, I am much better growing plants than photographing them. If you have seen some of my photos, you would agree ;D Gotta lure a good photographer to show off these plants.

Do you dye? Woad and weld together make green dye. Almost the only way it is possible to get plant-derived green.

LOL everyone thinks I am just a bundle of energy! Nope. But when I am not resting, I can't sit very well. Much better for me to do things than vegetate :)

That is so exciting. I have been very involved with a book called 'making more plants' by Ken (Druse? -seems to escape me at the moment!)

I really want to delve into propagation of all forms!

I have really considered volunteering at a old historic mansion and garden in Salem about 45 minutes from me. I am not sure what kind of time I would have but doing it with others who really love plants/horticulture has such an appeal. But living on the farm, summer has plenty for me to do.

I hereby volunteer to sleep for you all whenever you need extra! LOL

Good for you Lupi!

As I had mentioned in another forum, a wonderful and rewarding way to volunteer is to help the elderly with their gardens. Just imagine how we would feel if we had to watch all our carefully tended gardens go to the weeds!

We always think that everybody has "somebody" but I think that "we" know that not "everybody" cares like a true gardener. When I watched a 92 yr old tear up in gratitude, I'll tell ya, it was the most fulfilling experience I had ever known.

Vi, that brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye! Bless you! Somehow I just know some of the goodies I am sending you will find their way to the homes of some of your special friends... *blinking away the tears

Sue -- It is Ken Druse, and I really want to get that book. I heard him speak once, back when the book was not quite published. He's a great speaker, and I bet his humor comes across in his writing. His photography's awesome, too.

Gardenwife, yes that is the author. After checking it out from the Library, I decided to purchase it. I found the book online via a froogle search. It came from an affiliate of Overstock.com's site. I think I got it for around $29.

Beautiful photography and his story on how he began propagating for his large property. I will consider this to be an invaluable reference for the future. I'm a complete newbie.

Darn it Sue, you wore me down, I give up, I'm off to the library, I have to see this book! I know I'll love it!

Carena! I'm LOL! I know I've been touting this book here and there on DG!! Enjoy....let me know what you think.

Your neighbor........Sue :-D

I bit ~ I ordered it yesterday from overstock.com for the same price as Sue_WA. I had some other things I've been wanting to get too, so I just went ahead and ordered them all. I'm excited about this book!!!