the new house is lucky to have you ge.
I STARTED GARDENING...........
Hear, hear. x, Carrie
Nice problem to have, Sherrie. I'll take that anytime!
ha ha, Sherrie!!
You've gotten yourself into what we've ALL gotten ourselves into!!
What a wonderful thread. They say a picture is worth 100 words? Here is a picture of just one of my 89 year old mother's gardens . She does it all herself, other than cutting the lawn! Gardening is not just in my genes, it's in my soul.
Very nice, Frances. When is Mom available??
89 year old has a great eye. Keep on gardening.
We could all use a page from her book.
How absolutely gorgeous!! I gotta get me one of those!!
(Guess I'll have to work real hard at it)
Pushing ninety years of age and still mulching. Now there is a gardener for sure. That is a lovely garden. Thanks for sharing.
That is beautiful. Can we see photos of your garden too, Frances?
What a pretty garden pic. I hope I can still work in the garden at that age, just wonderful.
That was my thought, too, especially after how tired I was on day 3 of official clean-up time.
Boy, am I glad everything is unofficial here at my place, hee hee. x, Carrie
Frances,Wonderful!
I love this thread. My story is not as exciting as some. My mother spent a lot of time gardening when I was a child, but I never developed an interest until I bought my own home. Even then, I didn't really get into it seriously until several years later because DH and I were young, newly married homeowners (which means poor). I could have started small, but I have always had a rather stubborn resistance to anything requiring patience. But about 4 years ago, I was able to invest a lot of time and some $$ into my yard and I've been obsessed ever since.
I read the stories on here of people being inspired by grandparents, neighbors, etc. and those stories warm my heart. I have a young niece (9) who always seems to appreciate my garden. I hope that I can help instill a love of gardening in her.
Songsofjoy: It's odd that most gardners I know aren't patient, I think it's a "cosmic" rule.
Yeah, 'cause I want to see my trees look like real trees before I'm 100!
And, as you get older, you want everything to be full sized immediately. You'll find out in about 25 years, Harper.
So sweet Arlene...
Ooh - that one is tempting! But that is why with trees and shrubs, it's worth the extra $$ to buy the larger sizes.
Whenever I don't buy the larger/largest size I regret it in the end. Some lessons take a long time to be absorbed.
Songs Of Joy...........It that young lady would have the thrill of planting just one seed I would suggest it be a sunflower. They are almost foolproof, pathegon proof, are fast growing, produce attractive flowerheads and finally attract birds. So much learning can take place around the growth of a sunflower. You could even take her to a big box garden center to pick the sunflower she likes best. Along the way keep records with her and include pictures and show them to her here on DG.
Good idea Doc!
That's the old school teacher in me. :) My student teaching year 1959 had in it a January to Easter window sill gardening unit. Every kid got to make and set or plant a begonia cutting. We had the Southeast window benefit. Later we did tomato seeds. The begonia went home to mother or dad for an Easter present while the tomato plants ended up everywhere because not all kids had gardens. I had 34 students that half year.
We did not have the internet at that time. We engineered the story for the local newspaper with the four or five kids and the best looking plants. A local garden club gave every kid a ribbon. A local grower gave every kid a violet. I got good marks in Student Teaching and the district gave me my first job. There were many benefits for all of us.
The benefit I remember most was a mother with a tear in her eye because she got a present from her daughter. As I recall there could not have been many pleasures in that mothers life.
What a lovely story, doc. I bet that mom has never forgotten you.
Yes, very.
Oh Doc! That there were more teachers like you! I have tears in my eyes from reading that story.
great, i join a docgipe thread with a lump in my throat. Another moving moment in the many living dramas of the gigantic pumpkin man! Hey doc! How's the fancyfied gourd birdhouses comin?
Here's a Japanese Morning Glory for ya! This is from today. Edvard Munch hovers in the background approvingly... (((you just can't tell from the look on his face...
Beautiful story and beautiful Japanese Morning Glory, thank you both. When I was in school (around the same time) we just made those stupid ashtrays for my parents, neither of whom smoked. x, Carrie
Such great stories. I can't wait to get home from work (I teach, too, docgpipe) and read more stories about how nature lovers are inspired and in turn inspire. It's so much more than 'gardening', I think. It's the knowledge of renewal, thrill of anticipation, appreciation of beauty and change and diversity. (I could go on, but I think that everyone who is a gardener could complete the list with their own feelings!)
You're right on all counts, Gardenfrances.
Welcome to DG and the NE forum!
Great story doc!
My student teaching project using acorns was probably a bad idea. ;^)
Pretty mg and a lovely story. That's what keeps ya going every day, stuff like that.
Welcome Gardenfrances to the NE forum, feel free to jump in any time. :)
Dave lol, so how did your acorn project go? Is it an oak yet?
No, but that reminds me to plant a new oak tree seed today.
Fortunately mature oak trees (and others) are not in short supply on my property. Although, I would like an oak tree variety that would drop all its leaves by November.
Oh I hear ya on that, I have tons of them to move still. Just when you finally get them all gone it seems like they start dropping again.
And they all seem to land in my water garden!
What did you teach, doc?