You can probably imagine my surprise then when reading the July/August Metropolitan Home’s “Letter from the Editor” about the joys and trials of her gardening experiences over the past few years. Having just started my first garden this year, it is a relief to know that some of the problems I’m facing aren’t just because I’m inexperienced--insects are nondiscriminatory when it comes to gardens, beginner or experienced, and I’m just happy I don’t have horses anywhere nearby that can lean over the fence and snack on my heirloom green tomatoes!
The latter half of the letter describes how she has been too busy this year to get started on her garden. By mid May she hadn’t even turned the soil over, or ordered seeds. After a recent dinner at a farm/restaurant she comes away with one conclusion: Slow down and plant your garden.
This struck me as my summer schedule starts to heat up (pardon the pun!). With weekend barbecues with friends, trips to the beach, and general summer activities, I need to remind myself that it is okay to just slow down and work in my garden--the joys of watching my tomatoes grow and eating parsley with my nephew somehow bring all the busyness of summer into focus.
Olivia Dunn, senior publicist
I think you've addressed one of the most important parts of gardening for human beings! We would all be saner if we spent more time with plants. I myself came into gardening out of the woods - it was the being-in-nature part, the voices of plants, that made me want to garden. Do you know about the Therapeutic Landscapes Database Blog? Their focus is on the ways plants heal humans.
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia. Pitch your television ideas to me. I am in the process of creating and producing a new televison series that will air nationally on PBS starting next spring. Funny I should read this now. Just a few hours ago, I was looking over all my books for TV segment ideas as well. Touch base with me when you can. I'd love to hear what ideas you have.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Hi Olivia,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new blog and for joining the garden blogging community. I think its a great idea that Timber Press is branching out and reaching into "non-gardening" territory. There are so many people like you who love the idea of gardening but need encouragement and great information.
Please feel free to contact me and peruse my blog, Eden Makers for ideas and inspiration for your articles. I will add you to my blogroll.
Shirley Bovshow
"Slow Down and garden" should be tattooed on the back of my typing hands! Definitely a lesson I have to keep re-learning and not just during the summer season.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new blog!
"the joys of watching my tomatoes grow and eating parsley with my nephew somehow bring all the busyness of summer into focus"
ReplyDeletei think thats what gardening is all about!