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How did it start?
Jessum
Posts: 81
I don't remember the actual year but I remember channel hopping and happened to land on Gardeners World. It was a programme that I would immediately pass by. On this particular occasion I remember a man being in a garden by some step over apple trees by a building with a gable end.
For some reason the way this man talked just drew me in, I had no interest in gardening but what ever he was talking about had me hooked. He was so interesting and gentle with his words and they made sense to me, a total non gardener.
He was Geoff Hamilton, so sorely missed. Whenever I watch his Paradise Gardens dvd or any other it makes me so happy and relaxed.
Who inspired you to take up gardening?
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Posts
I don't know what the inspiration was. It was just an urge to grow things. It never went away.
I used to get 6d (2.5p) pocket money a week! my brother spent his on sweets. I would buy a pack of seeds (coleus was a favourite) with my 6d and grow them. Then I'd go round the neighbours and try and sell the plants for 2 shillings each (10p) - a vast profit!
I was just fascinated that from a tiny little seed a huge plant could grow within a few weeks - still amazes me now
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
It just sort of crept up on me, I can't remember the beginning. I only dug holes as a child in my parents' garden
In the sticks near Peterborough
My late husband went into hospital for a cancer related op; he should have been in for two weeks but complications led to a four month stay. He created a garden for us from a half acre mess into a beautiful space. Throughout his illness I was determined not to let the garden go and under his tutelage learnt how to garden. Twenty years later l have a beautiful two acre plot which once was a show garden but was sadly neglected for ten years. I am gradually turning it around and loving seeing this dream garden bursting into life once again.
We always watched GW as I was growing up, but this never seemed to encourage my parents. I suppose my interest really started when I had my first garden. At first it was a case of making the garden look neat and tidy, and my interest grew from there. After about twelve years I'd still say I'm still learning.
On the veg side I'm definitely a novice, and have loads to learn, but the delight of eating things almost within minutes of being harvested is so amazing. Having just ordered a greenhouse I can't wait to increase my repertoire.
My dad always grew potatoes and cabbage. In the front garden there were some lupins, always been interested in Gardening ever since i was little. When i was 10 i grew my first veg. Sprouts and cabbage. I found some horse chestnuts and planted them. Dad said, they can't stay there, they grow into big trees. In the spring some came up, but didn't stay for long. I'll never stop learning about Gardening.
I probably got it from my Dad . He always did love his gardening . I think he probably got interested in it from his foster parents. This was back in the 1920s/30s . My grandparents and uncles had allotments.
Knowing you have grown something is very rewarding.
There is probably something in the genes about the desire to grow things and enhance your surroundings. Think about all those people decorating their caves . (seriously) .
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
My parents weren't remotely interested in gardening, but wanted a garden.
My dad gardened like a farmer and would hoe anything that raised its head in the spring and then wonder why there were no flowers.
I once put some annual seeds around and under the edges of rocks in the hope that they would survive. My mum told me that he had found all theses weeds growing out from under the rocks so he lifted them to get out the 'weeds'. That was when I gave up.
I seem to remember that my grandmother like gardening though. So maybe it skipped a generation.
I have a friend who is exactly the same, we have teased her about her love of barren earth! Not surprisingly her husband has now taken over gardening duties.
Last edited: 11 June 2017 17:34:17
My Mum had beatiful containers with lovely flowers and then a very good friend gave me a Hosta .... rest is very recent history ... ?