Yes, you CAN have a garden!

I recently had a friend complaining to me that she wished she could do some gardening, but she didn’t have much of a yard, and what she does have is rock under the lawn. I told her that none of that mattered! My goodness!

People get far too caught up in the idea of a sprawling garden with every vegetable you could think of. I have a decent sized garden, but I have the space for it, and was able to bring in some nice dirt. But I wouldn’t consider my garden to be huge. Some do, but I think it is just right for me.

But many people don’t have the space for a big garden or the time to tend it. So what do you do?

One thing I’ve suggested before is to build a couple planter boxes. These can be as big as you want. About two feet tall seems good, because you can plant a lot of stuff in that depth, and it will deter pets from running through your plants. You can make them two-foot cubes, eight feet long . . . however big you want them! These can sit on the ground, or if you want to preserve the lawn you can build legs on them so they sit above the ground.

Also, small and large pots can sit on a patio or balcony, and you can grow herbs or smaller vegetable varieties in these. So even if you live in an apartment, you can have some plants to tend. Also don’t forget about wall-mount flower-pot holders. These are awesome for herbs, and they don’t take up space on the ground!

Don’t let yourself think that just because you can’t have a huge garden that you can’t enjoy growing things. If you look around your home with an open mind, you’ll probably find places you can have plants.

I love gardening!

There isn’t anything I can think of that is as satisfying as puttering around in my garden. I get to spend time enjoying the sun, and I don’t have to think about anything in particular. I can just let my mind wander where it will.

I think more people should get into gardening for the relaxation and experience of it, but I have been amazed to find out how many people honestly don’t know where to start! My friends and family who don’t garden seem to think I’m magic or can talk to the elves or something. They are convinced that it takes a special kind of person to grow a garden. It really isn’t true.

While some people do seem to have an easier time with gardening than most, it is mostly because they’ve been doing it for awhile. You learn as you go! Just like with most things, the more you garden, the better you will get at it!

Why do I garden? This question is posed to me a lot. My answer is generally something along the lines of “Why NOT garden?” You can grow your own food, and you get to play in the dirt! What? You think that’s reserved for little kids? I love begin covered in rich soil and plant stains. It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something! I even have a gardening shirt that says, “Plays in the dirt.”

I’m proud of it. Any gardener should be! If you’ve never tried gardening, you might find you love it! : )