Growing up the one thing I remember was my grandma's garden. It was beautiful. My cousins and I would play there all summer long. In it there were apple trees, snowball bushes, tulips, daisies, creeping phlox, roses, weeping willows, and the list was endless. Almost everyday she would be out there watering and weeding, planting and replanting. " The weeds will take over if you give them a day, " she would say. As I got older and was blessed enough to have a home of my own I wanted to have a garden as floweringly beautiful as hers.
Well, to my dismay I did not inherit her green thumb or her understanding of plants. I tried for several years, at a very costly expense, to grow a garden. Some plants and trees would live, but the majority died. So, that set me to thinking that there had to be more to this than just having a green thumb. Here's what I did. I began to take notice of plants, flowers, and trees that I liked, all the while compiling a list. Then I began to talk with knowledgeable Gardner's, I checked out local nursery's and stores that sold the plants, flowers, and trees I wanted. I then would goggle for each flower, plant, etc. that I liked to find out more information on my future garden. I found out what type of soil each plant took, whether it would grow in moist soil or rocky.
I looked at the best option for planting the seeds, be it indoors or outdoors, and what season to plant. I even discovered that an annual only came up once, but perennials were more or less permanent. They returned year after year. I then began to plant flowers that seemed to be growing in my yard. Living on a rocky hill in KY I had to figure out a way to keep some of the rocks from continuously sliding off. So, I learned ways to use trellis and vines, along with climbing roses.
As with anything in life I learned a little more each year. So, I say to you if you are a beginning gardener don't loose hope. Start with what you know and study to build on that. Before you know it your garden won't be the only thing that is growing, but your knowledge will as well.
