Dream
Gardening
By Jennifer
Dean
Do you
garden? If
so you are
probably
like me.
Each winter
you sit down
with the
catalogs and
begin
planning out
your spring
garden. As
spring rolls
around you
find even
more garden
catalogs
arriving in
your
mailbox.
Your dream
garden is
put together
in your mind
or on paper.
Then reality
arrives! The
soil is poor
requiring
lots of
watering;
you are so
busy weeding
falls by the
wayside. The
bugs eat the
green beans;
worms invade
the
watermelon
and
cantaloupe
patch. Sound
familiar?
Despite all
these
problems I
still love
to garden.
When I was
12 my
parents
moved my
brother,
sister, and
I out to the
country and
our
gardening
adventures
began. My
Dad got
serious
about it and
bought a
large Troy
Bilt Roto
tiller. We
moved a
number of
times. I
have lived
in 13 homes
since I was
born. We had
many
different
soils to try
out! I have
a lot of
memories of
my brother,
sister, and
I working in
the garden.
When we
lived in the
Ozarks of
southern
Missouri for
a year, we
found
ourselves
“rock
weeding”. As
we drove
around the
countryside
it was easy
tell which
garden plots
had been
cared for a
long time.
They were
free of
rocks having
been picked
out over the
years. One
year my Dad
decided to
plant 75
Roma tomato
plants (we
never did
find out
why). That
summer we
canned every
type of
tomato sauce
we could
think of!
Then for the
next 2 years
we were sick
of Roma
tomatoes. It
still makes
me queasy to
remember
that never
ending
tomato smell
as we
canned!
I love the
early
mornings as
a time to
get the
weeding
done. The
birds are
singing and
it’s still
cool. I take
after my Mom
and don’t do
well in the
heat. I
start a
project and
don’t like
to stop
until I’m
done. I find
myself out
in the
garden
weeding,
weeding, and
more
weeding. The
next thing I
know I feel
like I’m
going to
pass out,
I'm sun
burnt
because I
forgot my
suntan
lotion, and
my arms and
legs are
broke out
from weed
allergies.
Yet there is
a joy
knowing you
are growing
your own
food, being
outside,
getting work
accomplished,
watching
your plants
grow. Yes, I
do love my
gardens!
There are so
many
discussions
about
organic
gardening
these days.
The
pesticides
and
fertilizers
in the
vegetables
and the
condition of
the soil on
many farms
are a
concern. As
I read it
convinces me
to try to
grow my own
vegetables.
Even if you
don’t have
access to
big garden
plots like I
do, you
could check
out
container
gardening.
I’m reading
and learning
a great deal
about all
these issues
with our
food.
This year
I’m not
going to
plant in my
2 big
gardens. I
have too
many things
to get in
order. I
can’t do and
be
everything
all at one
time. (I’m
learning
this
slowly!) I
want to help
my Mom get
some
container
gardening
going on her
patio. Her
health does
not allow
her to
continue
with garden
plots. She
has a small
strawberry
patch I put
in for her 2
years ago. I
would love
to expand
it.
Strawberries
are my
favorite
fruit. You
can’t buy
them in the
store
tasting the
same as
growing your
own. I would
like to
plant some
Asparagus
this year.
When I was
little my
Grandpa R.
gave me some
canned
Asparagus. I
remember
thinking,
“This must
be what
slime taste
like!” I
have avoided
it since
then. A
neighbor
recently
gave me a
huge sack
full of
fresh
Asparagus. I
know other
people love
it. I
brought it
to church
for potluck
and was
given advice
on stir
frying it in
a skillet
with butter.
I tried a
bite of it
and it was
delicious!
I have my
dream garden
and orchard
down on
paper.
Someday I’ll
get it
planted. It
will be
beautiful!
Have any
great soil
to donate?
The Dream
Orchard
If you have
ever watched
the Anne of
Green Gables
movie you
will recall
Matthew
taking Anne
home from
the train
station.
They drove
through an
apple
orchard in
bloom. That
began my
dream
orchard
ideas. These
have been
revised a
number of
times. I had
never lived
in one home
long enough
to start the
orchard.
It will be a
“secret”
orchard. It
will be
lined on 2
sides with
flowering
dogwood
trees with
Mock Orange
shrubs in
between.
French Lilac
bushes will
be planted
on the
shorter 2
sides. One
end of the
garden will
allow enough
room to pass
through the
Lilac bushes
with an
arbor in the
opening.
Landscape
roses will
back up the
closed end
of French
Lilac bushes
and have a
garden bench
in front.
The orchard
will have
blueberry
bushes, Fall
Gold
Raspberries,
a nectarine
tree, peach
trees, apple
trees, a
cherry tree,
grapes,
kiwi, and a
pear tree. I
need
walnuts,
pecans, and
almonds
trees.
Doesn’t it
sound
wonderful?
My dream
gardens are
so much fun!
Enjoy your
gardens!