started gardening by visiting the adults that lived in the near by houses. I remember when I was around eight years old and we lived with the closest neighbor on the other side of the field. I had created a path through the field to get to his house. He was of Asian decent and an avid gardener. I would follow him and listen to his reasons for doing one thing or another. He enjoyed his many bonsai trees.
this is it now in 2009
When we moved to Capitola, CA. where I went around and found a few more gardeners to visit daily. I could always find them in their gardens and they loved telling me about their plants.
The fence we bulit around the N-40
When raising my family, we seem to constantly be moving. I would find myself with yards that were over grown. I loved it! I could envision what it would look like with a little love and attention. I loved indoor plants, because I could take them with me as we moved. I would always create my kitchen and dinning room to look like a solarium, where in the old movies the rich were served breakfast. The plants would flourish because of all the love and nurturing I gave them. At the time, I was unaware of the possibility of inhabitance of bugs or disease. I do not have a memory of ever seeing a bug or disease on a leaf. I now understand why. If a leaf changed colors, I would remove it. Heaven forbid any leaf that did not look pretty to the eye.
Green House in 1998
Then in 1990, I moved into our house here in Santa ClaraCounty with my husband who just before I moved in, had cut all the trees down. He would square up all the bushes and mow the tiny lawn very short. This was his putting green, with hole included. I could not wait to get my hands on the yard. Except I did not know what to do without the bones, I was use to revamping. This yard was a clean slate. I decided to plant as many plants into the soil as I could. Of course, I could not get my shovel in more than a half an inch. Therefore, I became a Master Gardener and a Master Composter to create the gardens I desire.
And Sunshine popped out at me daily
This journal is in actually the thoughts (I start with any of the Stretchers) And that is what I think about when I go into the gardens. I believe the garden has taught me what my true passion is. I have learned who I am. As the garden evolves, so do I. I want to share with you the magnificence I feel in the garden. How I find gardening to be healing and a gift to the soul.
When spending time in the garden, I usually feel...................................... The best thing I ever did in a garden or yard was..................................... Plants that have a lovely fragrance is.................................................. A saying I would like to see in my garden is.......................................
An activity: Less than five-minute activity: Water and focus on the above saying that you choose. Be aware of how the meaning changes as you water.
The main significance of a garden to me is................................... A feeling I usually recieve from sitting in a garden is ..................... Plants I would never be without are............................................. A change I would like to see in my garden would be..................... Stuff I could give away in my garden or yard is...........................
A less than five-minute activity: Go out in the garden, pick five new blooms and put into a vase of water. Place them next to your kitchen sink as a reminder of why you have a garden.
