Re: plant ID/ gardening

I can't remember ever NOT gardening.  I remember gardening with my  
grandparents in their vegy garden as young as 3 (my first introduction to the  potato 
bug...not pleasant).  Going to the nursery with my mom every spring  to pick 
out new plants.  I had a cacti collection on my window sill for  as far back as 
I can remember.  When I moved to the States and  went to college in El Paso, 
Texas, I had plants in my window and in my  room.  Then in an appartment I had 
plants all over the balcony, windows,  etc.  Even rented a UHaul truck to 
transport plants to California when we  moved there, and back to Texas.   I have 
gotten involved in a lot more  specific types of plants and diversity since 
living here in Houston  though.
 
I belong to several plant societies, so a lot of my  friends definitely have 
much more knowledge than I in certain fields.   We all balance each other out 
with different experiences and "expertise" (for  lack of a better word).   I 
do belong to other  non-hortic.  groups where friends garden, but not at the 
same level, and I actually shy away  from in depth conversation about plants, 
welcoming conversations about other  things for a change.   Too much of any one 
thing makes me  burn out....I like diversity in my garden as well as life.  
For this  reason, I'll never be as knowledgeable about any one thing as those 
that  specialize........however, I enjoy it all and cannot even fathom not 
having  plants in my life or gardening.  
 
I disagree that gardening is boring or slow, although things slow down a  bit 
at times (less in longer growing zones), this actually re-energizes a  
person, I feel.   Personally, I don't think a day goes by that there  isn't 
something new to see in a garden, regardless of season.  My all time  favorite thing 
to do every morning is to do a "walk about"(as I call it,  LOL).  There is 
always something new, be it a bloom, new growth, a  chyrsalis, egg, bird, 
something...anything of interest, and there always  is.  I just love it.  And even 
though we don't have distinct seasons  like other zones, nature still has it's 
way of showing the seasonal surprises. 
 
My mom is the same way......she is in her 80th year and lives in a huge  
house with a huge yard that she does everything herself.  She often  complains 
that it is just too much, but she loves it......and I just know that  she would 
simply shrivel up if she didn't have her vegy garden, ponds, pool,  
etc.....although her grass area does get smaller and smaller every  year.   Mowing being 
her least favorite thing to do...yet she insists  on doing that herself too.
 
Noreen
zone 9
Texas Gulf Coast 
 
In a message dated 2/15/2006 7:44:21 AM Central Standard Time,  
gardenchat-owner@hort.net writes:

So when  did everyone start here?

In my own life, I have been an on and off  gardener.
Depended on where I was living and other issues in my
life.  

I will say, if it was not for this list, I wouldn't
have half of  the knowledge I do now.

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