Gardening Journey: Black Thumb

As much as I'd like to believe I'm a practical gal with a good head on my shoulders, truth be told, I'm a jump in, ask questions later kind of gal... that's how I ended up at art school, that's how I ended up moving to the city without a job or hope in the sky, that's how I ended up married to a wacky music man with pancake and apple pie dreams just like me, that's how I ended up living in the mountains of rural Vermont running a country store and far from family, that's how I ended up with two little ones so sweet and mischievous that keep my world spinning. Really, it's the only way I know how to be. All of my creative endeavors have started this way... perhaps it's the nature of creative dreams... that they must blossom organically or risk being stifled by rules and indecision.

It's no surprise that this is how I started out gardening... without a book, without any research... hands in the dirt and planting what I liked. Admittedly, research is a very handy thing when gardening. Learning about your soil and the plants you are planting is also handy. Asking questions of those more knowledgeable is definitely "sage" (hehe) advice. But I fear I would never start anything if I bogged myself down with these things in the beginning. And somehow failing miserably seems to help me learn better in the end. Unfortunately, these failures can lead to a lot of heartbreak in the gardening realm... the blood of dead and sad plants on my hands.

This year I've been trying hard to fill in the great gaps in my gardening knowledge, but I've already had several failings. Singing to my plants each day doesn't seem to be enough to make them grow. Fruit flies and extreme temperature shifts were my main problems, but possibly also a bit of neglect thrown in there for good measure. It was enough for me to seriously consider whether I wanted to start anything from seedlings anymore or even garden. But, truth be told, it's quite miraculous to watch seeds birth from the soil, and despite disappointments, there's such joy in watching things grow and helping care for them, and especially in eating it when the time comes! I will not give up on my desire to paint my black thumb green just yet!

I finally got some tulip and daffodil bulbs planted this year!

And, truth be told, despite set backs and having to shell out extra cash on some replacement plants, I'm no longer jumping in like a silly clown with my tutu and gardening shears flying. I'm learning and trying to take notes so I don't repeat the same mistakes. And each year we add a tree or two, some berries and more perennials and it gets better and better! My love has helped me begin to realize my dream of a mandala garden... it's not a perfect circle... the sections aren't marked out perfectly, but I still think once everything is planted, it'll be wonderous! And next year, with some sheet mulching this Fall, I'll actually be able to get it started in early Spring.

I'd like to use this blog space to keep some gardening notes this year, and hopefully round out the rough edges of my gardening schemes.

Anyways, here's a little something for you to inspire your own growing, whatever that may be!