Spring garden 360, Busy week at the greenhouse

Overtime Season: Day 10, 60 hrs of insane greenhouse order pulling. Round one, FIGHT!

It’s been a crazy week at the greenhouse, 1000’s of baskets, 100’s of perennials & 1000’s of 6pack spring annuals, rack after rack after rack of beautiful green product. This week has been a real test to one’s mental stamina, moods are tense, body’s ache and everyone’s mental disposition is in jeopardy of falling out of place. This week has blinked away in a fury of hard work, I roll out of bed, work for 10-11 hrs and roll back in at the end of the day. By the time I’m fed and bathed the sun is just setting on my backyard garden, I wonder in the twilight observing all of the spring changes. On a rainy twilight evening I found myself sitting inside my small greenhouse, smoking a dijarum decompressing the day’s challenges.

Pano of the greenhouse via an interesting app I got for my phone, click for an enlargement.

While a 60 hour week is a difficult thing to pull off physically it’s just as hard mentally. In times of extreme busyness even the simplest chore seems time sensitive and difficult to accomplish. At a time like this it’s a good thing I like my job because I’m there more then anywhere else right now. It’s a wonder how I can even look at plants after work, still plants for work and plants for play seem to be different things. I’ve never been so conscious of spring and the wonder happening everyday. It’s now quite apparent why April,May & June are the top garden months here in Victoria. It’s wet, but warm, and everything is just so lush this time of year. It’s really quite awe inspiring and beautiful at this time of year.

Click for a enlargement

Throughout this busy time I’ve still made time to appreciate it all and do the odd neurotic maintenance in the back. Upon a closer inspection my garden is just about to pop, buds are forming everyday & flowers are opening left right and center. This is the year that my garden graduates from mundane to masterpiece, the perennials are established, specimen count high, and the spring color is going to be through the roof. It’s like setting up a fireworks display, it’s all set up to impress Late May early June is going to be quite the show and I’m thrilled to see it go.

My backyard greenhouse, May 2011

Working all these hours can be hard on the soul, but if you put yourself in the right head space it’s a good challenge. Having worked at this greenhouse for a couple years now it’s no surprise that to me that April & May are the busiest times of the year. Like running a marathon everyone wants to prove their worth come busy season. Slowly but surely people start running out of steam, be it their attitude, body or pure and simple work efficiency. I drink a lot of coffee this time of year in hopes of keeping my energy high. It’s not enough to work the hours, you have to be effective with your time and energy, and stay positive while doing it. One of the most difficult parts of working this much isn’t the job itself, it’s the grouchy ragged people you have to work with. If it isn’t brutal enough to work nearly 60 hours in a week, the last thing I want to hear is the moping and sluggish *bitching* of a tired co-worker. Hum, Serenity Now. I figure if you don’t want to be here, go home. After it’s all said in done we work in a greenhouse for god’s sake, how bad can it be.

Now all complaining aside, as much as this week has been tough, it’s been amazing. There is something quite rewarding about being exhausted at the end of the week. Tomorrow when I wake up I will have the day to myself. For one day I’m a king in my own domain, where there is a lot of work, there is also a lot of play. I’ve seen more plants this week then some people see in a lifetime. It’s like going to a boot camp spa, I’m loosing weight, getting a tan and getting paid to do it. I think working in a greenhouse is probably one of the nicest work environments to be in, sometimes dusty, sometimes wet, but almost always beautiful. There is nothing quite like being in a field of flowers.

Click to enlarge

This thing has been a lifesaver this year.