What little girl could resist growing a Beauty Bush.

Today is my birthday. So, I thought I’d take time to write about what gardening means to me, why I’m such an avid gardener.

In all honesty I think I’m an avid gardener because my mother was, also. She loved to be outside planting things and started me off at a very early age. I remember helping plant pansies at around the age of five.

Not too long after that, maybe a year or two, I had my first garden. It was a flower garden and had all my favorites: pansies, marigolds, dahlias, snapdragons, etc. A few years later at the back of the garden I planted a Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis). What little girl could resist that name? It was amazing to watch it grow. Each year it bloomed profusely. I particularly remember one time playing over at a friend’s house. We were out on her deck and I looked over and could see, over the fence, my Beauty Bush in full bloom. Obviously it made a lasting impression.

As a youth I actually would spend hours reading books on different flowering plants that I might include in our yard. I loved looking at all the pictures of beautiful gardens around the world and dreaming of having one of my own someday.

Pansies are still one of my favorite annuals.

I love flowers. There’s no two ways about it. To me they are God’s smiles, a way for Him to communicate with us to keep looking for the beauty and sparkle in everything around us. My favorite flowers, at this time, are irises and daylilies. I like them for their ease of care and their variety of colors and variation.

Over time, though I’ve learned to love a whole different category of plants, vegetables. Now, every winter I pour over catalogs finding some amazing new seed from some remote part of the world that I can try. I’ve found some real keepers over the years including last year’s new addition red long beans. They’re fantastic!

I’m also starting to take interest in berry bushes, grapes, fruit trees and, since a small section of our property is still wooded, native plants.

Vegetables didn't arrive until I was well into my adult years, but they've become a passion as well.

I also like that I can share from my garden. Obviously if we have more produce that we can use I can share that with neighbors and friends, and I can bring some cut flowers to someone. However, when I take a baby plant that I’ve grown myself and give it to someone it is the best!

Growing things from seeds and cuttings is just a miracle to me. You put this tiny little thing in the ground and BLAM out pops this huge plant that either feeds you or brings you beauty! What better gift can you give to someone….

So, here’s to 50 years of pleasure and pain, hard work and rewards, and looking forward to another 50 years with all my plant friends. I sometimes think my blood must run green.