I would visit family in Colorado growing up and often admired my grandmother’s flower and vegetable gardens. She would have so many types of flowers on her porch and along the border of her house, with a cute little garden in the backyard filled with herbs, tomatoes, rhubarb, and green beans!  It would vary at times, but was spectacular nonetheless. Oh, and Her rhubarb pie was the best!! “How do you grow your flowers and garden Grandma?” I would ask. She would giggle and reply with a humbled response “Ohhhh, I don’t know. You just got to water them when they need it, give them some sun, and prune them.” Hmmm…I wonder if I can do it too. Well, at first I was discouraged because my plants would die, was it the Texas heat? Was I watering too much or too little? How do you kill a Cactus in Texas?! Just How!? I let it go for a bit.

Then tried my knack at it again about 7 years later in Nebraska; I would plant a small garden all from seed. Excitement buzzed through me as I watched the seedlings emerge into tiny plants. But, let me tell you, the green beans became food for the grasshoppers, and I was only able to salvage one serving for one person as my “harvest”.  The broccoli never came to head,  yet the leaves sure did grow nice and big, and, of course, the strawberries belonged to the birds! However, I had a good crop of honeydew, about 12 melons, which was a delightful surprise. The flowers grew nicely, which was also very pleasing. There were tiny blue forget-me-nots, zinnias, and cosmos; some of these were pressed. I did not garden again for maybe another 7 years! But continued to pick and press flowers.

About 2019, in Michigan now, I gave another hand to gardening. I tried morning glories, from the seed of course! Planted them in a corner, forgot about them and they flourished. I moved to another location that year, my new home had more land for a possible garden. I started a coleus plant from seed in 2020, it grew, two of them green and pink! Well, maybe I am a natural green thumb. These seeds I plant keep growing..and LIVING!!! I must have a garden now.

In the spring of 2021, I picked out a spot I thought fit for a garden. My boyfriend bought supplies and we started to dig, plow, and build a fence for a garden. Let’s see what happens! I germinated many seeds, and we laid out mounds of dirt and manure in the new garden. I sowed the sprouted seedlings when the weather permitted, telling them “I am rooting for you! Grow, grow, grow!” and “Reach for the stars and Hug that sun!”

I made sure to tell my plants just how wonderful they were at growing while weeding the garden and watering them. I was not disappointed, let me tell you! There was an abundance of zucchini and squash, I couldn’t keep up with the green beans; gave plenty to my co-workers. Harvested a handful of cucumbers, a fair amount of bunching onions, a couple of jalapeños, a few banana peppers, and one cute lil’ pumpkin I took to South Texas for my family on Thanksgiving Holiday!

There was an abundance of sunflowers (in memory of my grandmother, her favorite) that the hummingbirds and bees loved to visit, and morning glories that hugged the railing along the front porch. I never did see my moonflower bloom, but it did grow. I deadhead some of the sunflowers, dried some, and saved some seeds from the morning glories. The dried sunflower petals were sent to Dune, I was ecstatic to find out they can use flowers in their designs! They made a wonderful keepsake for my mother; they did an amazing job crafting the Tiffany Rice Cardinal ornament with the sunflower petals. A beloved Christmas gift for my mother in remembrance of hers.  I would be moving in the fall. Goodbye beautiful garden and blooms; I began picking many of the blooms that were on my property, imagining which dune designs they could go in!

I would have to start all over again, which I did! Moving further up to North Michigan, I was able to get another fenced-in garden done! I started a bit late, but have enjoyed it still. There is Zucchini, squash, cucumber, cauliflower, tomatoes, strawberries, 2 bell peppers, and green beans, which have and are still growing. The red & green romaine appears to be done for the season, but little leaves are re-emerging. Still waiting for the eggplant, which looks promising; not so much for the banana peppers this year must be too cold. But, a cute little cream-colored pumpkin is growing! There is a row of sunflowers waiting to blossom, and a nice variety of flowers that border outside the front and side of the garden; these are for the ants to enjoy rather than the garden. I tell you what, gardening is not entirely easy, it can take some hard work and effort. But it is absolutely rewarding and meditative. I just have fun with it! I have also picked some of the blooms from the flowers around and in the garden to press for a piece of Dune Jewelry because I want to be able to cherish the memories of what I have reaped and love to do!

 

This story was submitted by Christina A