Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Middle-aged/Senior Gardening?

I've always WANTED to have a garden, but never wanted to do the work! Or if I was in the mood to do the work, I was living someplace where I couldn't put in a garden. I remember being impressed at my sister's garden many years ago when I visited her farm in IL. and it's always been one of those little nagging "bucket list" things (like learning to play the piano) that, at 64, I'm wondering if I'll ever do.


I still don't live in a place where I could put a traditional garden. The most I've been able to accomplish is buying a potted lily and digging a hole to put it in. My daughter helped me plant a Peony bush several years ago and I've managed to keep it alive. This year the weather was very weird--warm very early, then a hard frost after things were blooming--so it wasn't as great as last year. I still enjoyed the wonderful fragrance that only a Peony can give (just my opinion). I favor it over roses and even the lovely carnations that always take me back (mentally) to my first dance and corsage! Since this was the year of the Puny Peony in MY yard, I took a photo of someone else's beautiful specimen! I'm sure they wouldn't mind since I'm not providing any identifying information with it! LOL....this is why I always carry my camera! The one on the left was mine in 2011 and the one on the right is the way I WISH mine looked this year!


So...I've actually got a point that relates to the title of this blog...I have come across something that I think would be great for us older gardeners, well really ANY age, but especially anyone with bad knees or a bad back. It's called straw bale gardening and you could literally have a garden on a balcony or a deck with just a bale of straw, a little bit of potting soil and some seeds. I've found a very good site for beginners and experts to ask questions and share information and I think you'll find it as interesting as I have. The first part is reading but there are pages and pages of photos showing you all kinds of techniques and tips. I love the idea of not having to dig or weed or get down on the ground (sometimes it's hard to get back up!!). And it's just so NEAT looking! So let me know what you think and if you're a gardener at heart, like me or a REAL gardener!!


4 comments:

  1. A hay bale garden!! That's so unique! Are you thinking of trying a bale?

    I grow tomatoes in a container, have a few fruit trees, a banana tree... and just harvested my first pineapple. But that's the extent of my gardening.

    I've a lot of trimming and such to do outside, but it's just sooo hot... ;)

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  2. I had a large vegetable garden back in the early 70s, but it was so much work, I lost the desire to ever garden again.

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  3. This is definitely a new one on me. Though most gardening related things are new to me. I started gardening when our youngest left the nest and went off to college, you know, something to fill up the time. And I'm still looking for that green thumb. This is my third year growing veggies and flowers and I have discovered that the flower part is much easier! I'm going to check out this bale deal---maybe it comes with a green thumb!

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  4. I think maybe it does, Pam L.! :) Pamibe, I'm not really very outdoorsy, plus I'm going to be moving to an apartment in the future, so I won't be looking for any straw bales! But I'm encouraging everyone I can to do it so I can enjoy the fruits and vegetables of their labors! LOL!

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