The social side of gardening
Posted on May 9th, 2007 – 11:58 AMBy Robyn Dochterman
All by myself
Don’t wanna be
All by myself
Anymore
Remember that old Eric Carmen chestnut? (or, a Celine Dion chestnut, if you’re younger than I am). It’s stuck in my head today.
Normally, I tend to think of gardening as a solitary activity. It’s blissful to have a day to myself, shovel in hand, cavorting with plants that don’t talk back, aren’t sarcastic and offer hope of great things to come. Being by myself in the garden means time to think, reflect and plan.
But this time of year, specificially this weekend, the social side of gardening shines. It’s high season for plant sales, like the mammoth Friends School plant sale and the sale at the Minnesota Arboretum. But those are just the beginning. Numerous garden clubs, such as the Dowling Community Garden offer plants for sale this weekend, too. There’s a big list in the Star Tribune gardening calendar. Oh, and did I mention that this is the biggest weekend of the year at local garden centers? You can find one near you in our new garden center guide.
Everyone who has ever bought mom a hanging basket (and there are millions of you) know it’s a sea of shoppers out there. I know because I worked at Bachman’s garden center on Lyndale many years ago. I still remind myself not to wear purple or green while doing my own shopping there because everyone asks me where stuff is. Even after 15 years, I almost always know, so I don’t even bother to tell them I don’t work there.
Since I have a tiny touch of agoraphobia — fear of crowds — it’s sometimes challenging for me to join the masses to get to the plants I covet most. But I do it anyway, and am always rewarded for taking the risk in ususual ways.
Last year at the Friends sale, I stood in line next to a doctor from Paraguay and really loved learning what it was like for her to work in a suburban hospital here. I saw so many coworkers at the sale, it was practically a reunion (though I’m sure they weren’t playing hooky like I was). I watched kids and parents and grandparents come together around an interest.
Being around people who share a love of gardening reminds me some things are bigger than me and my shovel. There’s positive energy and good things growing almost everywhere. And there’s great joy in having company like that.
10 Responses to "The social side of gardening"
I think that it is very true that gardening is a “community” effort. My community consists of my mom, aunt, and grandpa. We share secrets, revel about how tall the peonies are already and share in the delight of watching our hard work grow.
Great post Robyn! If any Greengirls readers are looking for a social gardening activity please read the announcement below and give Theresa a call or email to help out:
Do you love the plantings along the Midtown Greenway?
We do too, and the Midtown Greenway Coalition is committed to keeping them weed free, watered and beautiful throughout the summer. In order to do so, we need YOU to be a Greenway Garden Steward! Over the past two years, more than 150 stewards have helped install and maintain four rain gardens along the path. Other volunteers assisted with Arbor Day tree planting, weeding prairie plantings and other gardening maintenance activities. All essential for a beautiful Greenway.
Please join us this summer and become a Greenway Garden Steward. Work days are usually scheduled every other Saturday morning and one week night during the months of May and June, and then less frequently for the rest of the summer. Stewards are not expected to attend each work day, but we do ask you to identify available days so we can plan accordingly.
Tools, gloves, and water, as well as fresh air and the companionship of other volunteers, will be provided.
When: various Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings
Where: Along the Midtown Greenway at various locations in the Whittier, Phillips and Lowry Hill East neighborhoods.
Who: Everyone in the community. Feel free to bring a friend!
2007 Greenway Garden Steward Projects:
*Rain garden maintenance in Whittier, East Phillips and Midtown Phillips, tasks include; plant identification, weeding, watering and plant replacement.
*Prepping and replanting fourth rain garden, location to be decided.
Prep, plant and maintain prairie plantings in East Phillips near the Smith Foundry.
*Weed past Arbor Day shrub plantings along entire path.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Greenspace and Art Program’s Manager Theresa Nelson at 612-879-0103 or at theresa@midtowngreenway.org.
Perhaps not the ‘community’ you had in mind, but my father likes to share plants, figuring that when friends see plants you’ve given them, they remember you. I know I think of him all the time, when flowers they’ve brought us come into bloom. In fact, the only regret we’ve had in moving into our new house is losing all the plants we’d planted the year before, that he’d brought us.
We’re now returning the favor, in encouraging friends & family to take as many ferns as they’d like - we’re embarrassed by a richness of ferns. Dad called recently to tell us the ferns we sent with him last year are doing very well; I hope he’ll come back for more, with some of his perenials for our gardens.
You touched on something very important, bsimon — some of the best plants in my garden are special because I got them from someone special. It’s like having a collection of keepsakes from the best experiences.
I was surprised to learn how vested my neighbors and friends have become in the health and welfare of my first attempt at a vegetable garden. They want to know what I’m planting and what sort of compost I’m using. My little garden has become a community endeavor. So now, one of the things I am really looking forward to is sharing the harvest with my friends and neighbors. In a way I feel as though this garden belongs to them too.
Like bsimon, we have some “heirloom” plants in our family too. My mom was telling me just today (after I called her from the gardening center!) that my grandma used to grow roses in pots and that some of those roses are still with my grandfather’s sister’s family today! Its so cool to think of plants handed down by my grandma, over 50 years! I wish I could have them here with me in America =(
Shruti says
“my grandma used to grow roses in pots and that some of those roses are still with my grandfather’s sister’s family today! Its so cool to think of plants handed down by my grandma, over 50 years! I wish I could have them here with me in America”
Can you get someone to bring you a cutting next time they visit? Or are there problems with importing plant material?
Which reminds of of the ominous warnings about crossing ’state’ lines in Australia with fresh fruit. Don’t be importing those New South Wales fruitflies into Victoria!
A bit off topic, but I checked out the gardening center guide. Did I miss it, or do you have Uncommon Gardens listed? It’s on Lyndale, north of Bachman’s, and a great place with knowledgeable staff and unusual plants! They also have two cats roaming around the joint.
Getting plants from friends and neighbors is fun, but don’t forget to give, too. Keeps the cycle going.
This evening, while I moved some plants around, neighbors stopped by and left with German Statice, Prairie Smoke, Cranesbill, ornamental grass, and Liatris. And it sounds like I might get some interesting plants in return.
You can see some of last season’s sharing here.
Where I see gallery?
Greengirls Jaime Chismar, Connie Nelson, and Robyn Dochterman are dishin' the dirt from the backyard garden and beyond. Whether you're a greenthumb or greenhorn, they're eager to learn from your misshaps, mistakes -- and most importantly, your sweet successes -- all growing season long.
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