Photos of my garden taken by Mary Ann Brussat

Last week I was surprised when a woman, whom I consider to be a real gardening pro, said: “No matter how hard or how long I work, or how loyally I read the how-to-garden manuals or go to the extension courses from the master gardeners, regrettably I will always be a novice and I doubt I will ever call myself a real gardener. But I will continue to try.”

Often I hear interesting, but rather challenging, stories about gardening. One man told me he has to be sure that whatever he plants will have high survival capacities since his garden is also a playground for his children who shoot baskets, play soccer, and leave balls and toys in his flower beds. “Not many plants can take that kind of abuse,” he remarked, “so I try to put in plants that will ‘give it back’ to them – like spiky yuccas and cactus plants.” Yikes! You guessed it; this man lives in a desert setting.

One couple, who’ve always had beautiful gardens, have recently retired and now raise and train seeing-eye dogs. “We finally had to break down and put in some kind of Astro Turf for our “lawn” since the dogs obliterated it. It must have been a great disappointment to our neighbors, who likely had high hopes that our garden would increase in its splendor or at least remain a place of beauty when we retired. Perhaps, someday again.”

And here are what I call the “everyday grumblings” I hear from my gardening colleagues:

• “Yes, the deer came by last night and took out our entire 20-year hostas collection. Sigh.”
• “The slugs are eating huge holes in the leaves of my plants.”
• “I have moles and voles that are going through my garden eating roots of plants as they blindly crawl along. You can trip on holes and bumps by just walking in my yard.”
• The ground hogs came up on my deck and ate all my herbs.”
• “Last year I was infested with Japanese beetles who chewed up everything from my apple trees to my raspberries to my sweet corn. To tell the truth, it can be disheartening. But I’m not ready to give up yet.”
• “Weeds, weeds, weeds. If you miss a beat they get ahead of you and take over your entire garden. It’s discouraging when you have trouble finding your plants among the weeds. Now when I walk through my garden, I’m stooped over like a chicken plucking the ground – always looking for any weeds that might get away from me. But I’m not quitting.”

Photos of my garden taken by Mary Ann Brussat

So you might ask, why would anyone want to garden with all those challenges? Why bother? Although people have written that gardening is something like warfare, there are moments when you step into your garden and you know why you do it, when you realize that you have put more beauty, more oxygen, and more harmony into the universe. That you have made a place where people and birds can come to restore their souls, to relax, to smile, and to find peace. Yes, I may be a sissy at times, but I will continue to garden in God’s earthly garden.

Master Gardener, thank you for creating a garden in this universe – a place of inexpressible beauty. Forgive us when we abuse this awesome garden. Give us the courage and wisdom to be good stewards and to nurture and care for this land – this gift you have given to us. Amen.

Joy Carol
www.joycarol.com