Life has certainly been busy, tired and exhausted, the team at work has been a grumpy bunch to say the least. The busy season is over now, and we’re all trying to get used to the slower pace. This was to be expected of course, and while I’m excited to have a bit of a break, I miss the fast paced nature of spring. Cleaning greenhouses, planting fall mums, and generally tidying up the place are the main tasks on hand. I did the weekly walk around yesterday and things look a bit different from 2 months ago. Overgrown spring bedding, empty greenhouses galore, unsold tomato plants cooking in the dry heat. I digress.
I’ve spent much of my evenings in the back tending to, appreciating, and generally taking in the backyard jungle. Things are looking incredible, and it’s difficult to spend much time away. I do my best to lure my friends for BBQ’s and backyard chilling but real people have lives beyond gardens and watching flowers open. Some days I snap out of my maddening addiction, look around, and say “What the hell am I doing”. I bet I have over 1000 plants inside and out of my house, and on the sad day that I move, it will be quite the migration. Watering chores are at an all time high, the garden needs a good drink every other day. Some potted plants don’t even last that long, My new Acanthus spinosus often flops over thirsty on the second day without a drink, a little needy don’t you think? Because I have such a diverse garden, if it’s not the maintenance I worry about it’s the fact that something new is happening out there everyday. Sometimes thing’s flower for a very short period of time, and I should be there for it’s annual show. My newly planted black Iris will only flower for the week, shouldn’t I be there to see it through? Yes yes, the garden that ate the man whole, this is a true caution one should think about before committing to a life of plants and gardens.
Now that I’ve given you a bit of a rant, let me also state that regardless of all this strife, hard work, and broken fingernails, I still like what I do. I just find that I relate less and less to my none plant friends, and I find it strange that I haven’t encountered more people like me. At times I miss my former, beer toting, lady chasing, down for anything self. Of course now that I am who I am, I find that to be a less fulfilling lifestyle. Why would I need to go bar hopping on a Tuesday when I’ve got the best spot in town, the music, food and drink all at better prices and taste. “I’ll take a table for two, by the fire pit, near the Tetrapanax, BBQ’d bacon cheese with a six pack for under $20”. I guess in the end I would just like to meet more people lost to the green, so more could appreciate the madness outside. For now I guess my best bet is to continue brainwashing the friends that show any interest at all. Rantity rant rant rant 🙂
6 Responses to Hello, My Name is Nat, and I’m a plantoholic.
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Thank you for your critique of our Cactus show & sale. I have a blooming haemanthus if you are interested. That was one of my offsets. Have enjoyed reading your site. Have probably a 40 yr collection of garden magazines interested? Also have many plants for sale. Linda
Enjoyed reading the blog, Nat. Best of luck with the obsession. I’ve been wrestling with it for decades and still can’t shake it–and for some reason, don’t really want to.
I’m with you Nat, my friends think I’m nuts when I pull out a gardening book or Magazine on our coffee breaks. I talk non stop about this variety of lilac, or how I prefer determinate tomatoes over indeterminate, and everyone just looks at me like I’m nuts. I used to be a bar goer, and looking back on it, I would trade all those times in for more time in the garden.
You definitely need an equally obsessed garden chum. Have you considered the Master Gardener program or a garden club? You can meet a lot of great people in these organizations. And of course you’ve got your on-line friends.
I’m with you. Time in the garden is much more interesting and rewarding than what some bar and grill has to offer.
Nice photos.
Nice blog, first visit. I’m with you, married to the garden. And most gardeners are of the the other sex. I wish I had more men gardener friends who have the same passion i do. oh well. I quess we’re the lonely bunch.
What amazes me isn’t that you have so many plants, but that you know what they are, and all the other plants that are related to them. I love reading about them, even if you’re wondering if it’s all worth it.