Report From PIA – April 18
I spoke at a Spring Planting Festival at the garden center today, helping people learn about vegetable gardening. Other speakers talked about the effect of too much synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, how to make compost, and other aspects of home landscaping. There was a sizeable, appreciative crowd who took notes and enthusiastically collected handouts.
Many people want to create beautiful gardens and landscapes, and we hope that we’re successful in our efforts. Our goal is to make our surroundings thrive. Because we’re dealing with plants, which are living things, there is a large part of this pursuit that is out of our control. We’re in partnership with Mother Nature here, and she has the controlling interest.
So it’s gratifying that we nevertheless continue to pursue success. We read about gardening in books, magazines and on line, and we attend lectures and workshops. We stalk knowledge and work toward triumph.
This is a good and hopeful thing. If we’re able to work toward splendor in our landscapes, perhaps there is a chance that we can put effort into creating a peaceful world as well.
We want our landscapes to be lovely, and we also desire that they are functional. My husband and I, for example, wanted to look out of our house onto a flower garden, and we also knew that this sunny area would be the best location for a vegetable garden.
The addition of the second, upper, wall made the area more level for growing veggies, and the circular stairs make it possible to walk directly to the vegetable garden. the fence frames that plot and there are flowers on all levels. Yes, it took work, and still does. Yes, it is worth it.
