Are You An Extreme Gardener?

My eyes are riveted to the television as a snowboarder speeds through a half pipe or launches from a ramp to perform gnarly, gravity-defying tricks. Or a person hurls himself off a cliff and soars into the beyond with arms and legs spread inside a wingsuit, personifying Batman. How in the world do you learn to do such extreme sports without killing yourself first?

Extreme gardening is much safer. In fact, one can argue that extreme gardening has many physical and emotional benefits. Nevertheless, some people may shake their heads and think that an extreme gardener is a bit strange, if not outright nuts. The jasmine arch by the patio is blooming.

How do you know you are an extreme gardener? I have compiled a list of ten traits that, while completely unverified and unscientific, may indicate you are an extreme gardener:

1.You garden, no matter what your environmental conditions or living arrangements. You find a way to garden, year round, in one form or another.My arbor garden swing is a good place to relax and enjoy the garden.

2. When people visit, they ask to see your garden. If they don't ask, you show them anyway.Here is a view inside my perennial/pollinator garden, planted since last August.

3. People you don't know have come up to you and asked for gardening advice.

4. You own at least 50 gardening books, not counting garden magazines. No way you can count all those.

5. You have gardened at night under the floodlights around your house. 

6. You arrange vacation time around gardening activities. 

7. You know the botanical names for most of your plants. Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' (Hippeastrum) has 16 blooms on it this year!

Planted earlier this year, Acanthus 'Whitewater' has its first bloom.

Fatsia japonica 'Spiderweb' is a shade-lover with beautiful leaves.

8. You have attended a demonstration or lecture about hydroponics.

9. You publish a garden blog.Views of my little blue bridge in the woodland garden have appeared many times on my blog. I recently moved a blue bottle tree to its side.

This large urn was one of the first features I put in the arbor garden when I began developing the space a decade ago. 

This green rabbit is one of a collection of rabbits that appear throughout my garden, in addition to the real ones!

10. Gardening is your favorite form of physical therapy for such things as hip replacement, torn meniscus, and recovery from debilitating infection.

If you are positive for any of the above, chances are you are a real gardener. The more traits you have, the more serious you are about gardening. If you own up to six or more, you may indeed be an extreme gardener. I confess I am guilty of all ten. But at least I am not putting on a wingsuit and jumping off cliffs.

So, how extreme are you?

Wishing all you gardeners the very best!  Deb

Little Jolts of Joy

Have you ever had an unexpected jolt of joy, a little surprise that lifted your spirits? Maybe something like an unusual cloud formation, or maybe a child's delighted grin over some small discovery. My husband recently described a ground squirrel whose fat cheeks were filled to overflowing with acorns. We are no lovers of ground squirrels, as they have created extensive tunnels throughout our property, but this little critter was so cute, Lou couldn't help but smile.

I was driving down the road a couple days ago when I received my own little jolt of joy. Trees hugged both sides of the road, and shadows muted their autumn foliage. Then I went around a curve. A section of the land on my right was cleared, and the golden light of late afternoon illuminated the trees on my left. The trees suddenly sparked and glittered like multi-colored jewels. It was breathtaking, and I slowed my car, wanting to prolong the experience.

Another day I was stuck in traffic, waiting for a slow train to pass. I glanced over to the side and thought, what a nice view of Old Town Helena! I had my camera in the car, so I took a shot through the window, and you would never know there was a long line of cars in front of me and a train just out of view down the hill.

That same day I saw this fall display, similar to many around the area this time of year:

Whenever I walk through my garden, no matter the season, there is almost always something that creates a little jolt of joy, if I am open to it. (There are certain negative moods that refuse to be lifted, but I try to avoid them.) Autumn is a favorite season, with its mild temperatures, fresh air, and warm colors. Here are some recent images in the garden that I appreciated, and you may wonder at how little it takes to make me happy!

 

Have you had any little jolts of joy today? All it takes is sensitivity to small things, as well as to the spectacular (which even, sadly, many people will miss).

Blessings to you all!   Deb