Sunday, April 14

It's in the genes

Just to get the competition that I announced yesterday started. Although in the interest of fairness I won't be taking part in the Select Furnishings competition.

I’m not sure that anything actually inspired me or triggered my interest in gardening. As far as I can remember it has just always been there.

I guess my first real memory of a garden goes back to the age of four when I can remember playing with my cousin in our grandparents garden. We lived in a house without a garden at the time and to have the space and freedom to just wander around without an accompanying adult was exciting. Around the same time my grandma died and we went to live with my grandad. The garden became my playground. I was allocated a small patch of ground to tend myself where I raised easy to grow annuals such as Virginian and Night scented Stocks. I grew the same thing every year but it didn’t matter as the distance from one year’s sowing to the next was a lifetime to a young child. It fascinated me to think that seeds could magically turn into all sorts of wonderful plants and the fascination has never really faded. 

Dahlias and chrysanthemums were given lots of tender loving care and were interspersed with upturned pots of straw set to trap the earwigs that were public enemy number one and had to be avoided incase they strayed into some unsuspecting small girl's ear. Mixed in with the flowers were fruit and vegetables. There were large rhubarb leaves to hide under when it rained. Our dog used to like hiding under the leaves too - no doubt munching on a pea that she had stolen from a nearby plant. Then there were the tomato plants that my dad always considered so important that he checked whether any fruits had turned red before coming into the house when he arrived home from work. One day my sister and I tied ripe fruits onto a plant and I remember him coming in excited that at last his tomatoes had achieved ripeness. Our laughter gave the game away!
Then there were the bees - I loved the large furry bumble bees that my grandad would stroke as they browsed the flowers and the loopy caterpillars that magically changed into butterflies. For some reason the gardeners in the family just couldn’t learn to love them.
Gardening and love of nature was in my genes and as time went on the interest was fed and became stronger as I learned more fascinating facts.

Luckily I married someone who had a similar set of gardening genes so when we were looking for our first home the main criteria was that it had a garden that was large enough to enable us to grow all the things that we wanted to. We found an unloved garden which has gradually developed from that shown below to the one featuring in this blog. It's very different!
The problem was the list of things we wanted to grow outgrew the garden and so we ended up renting allotment space but that’s another story entirely and can be read about here
Now it's your turn. I hope lots of you 'have a go' as I'm looking forward to reading about what made you 'get into' gardening. I'm also looking forward to finding out who wins the prize.




Copyright: Original post from Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/ author S Garrett

21 comments:

  1. Sue, my tale is somewhat similar: I inherited a love of gardening (especially veg) from my Dad. When he retired he rented a plot of land next to our house and converted it from an overgrown rubbish-tip to a productive veg garden. I remember him growing vast quantities of Runner Beans, so I'm sure I have inherited that particular gene!
    I'm not going to enter the comp I'm afraid, because I'm a bit dubious about the fairness of these things - the promoter gives away one prize, but lots of people (the entrants) give them lots of free publicity!(and with the link, a bit of SEO too) Maybe everyone who enters should get a prize?? :)

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    1. That's true Mark but then again many ask for a link and don't want to give anything away at all don't they? I am very choosy about who I accept and thought this was at least a good way for someone to get a prize and also I think people will be interested in reading the posts whatever. It will also get link to other people's blogs on mine so that visitors may just come across a blog they haven't visited previously. I guess it's only really the same as people hosting meme and wanting a link back to their blog - same effect really.

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    2. Just a thought Mark - why not just have a go and not enter the competition so no link will be needed.

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  2. Sue that is a lovely post. It is always interesting reading how other people started to garden.

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    1. I hope you have a go to, Jo so we can hear about what spurred you on to gardening

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  3. It was interesting to read how your love of gardening started and grew through the years. I think it's definitely in your genes.

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    1. It's interesting to think there is a gardening gene out there isn't it, Jo.

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  4. I never really thought about where my love of gardening came from until your post Sue, I guess I just assumed it appeared from nowhere. Your competition has made me take a long think about where it actually stems from - thank you for that.
    It was great to read your post Sue and learn your own story of inspiration and the beginnings of what would become a passion for you.
    Thank you for sharing a lovely story.

    Linda

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  5. I enjoyed reading your post, Sue! It's very interesting.

    I wish the good luck to all competitors who will participate in this competition! :)

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    1. Thank you Dewberry - I am looking forward to reading some posts - sorry it's only for the UK.

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  6. I don't want to enter the competition but enjoyed reading your post immensely. Gardening is not in my genes but I became interested when I had my own garden - my first husbands' mother grew vegetables and up until then I didn't realise that you could - I mean, vegetables came from the greengrocers, didn't they. So that was a revelation for me. From then on I was hooked (and that was forty-odd years ago - I reckon I should know what I am doing by now but there is always something to learn. I think that's why I keep on keeping on.

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    1. I think however long you garden you will always find that there is plenty to learn, Elaine

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  7. Sue, I really enjoyed reading about your gardening history. What a fun idea for a future blog post. Cheers, Jenni

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  8. I like that you inherited your love of gardening. I know I did and I hope my children do the same.

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    1. I'm sure that they will, Liz - how could they not with all that lovely fresh vegetables?

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  9. Hello again, Sue. Yes, like everyone else I do love to hear how others got into gardening and seeing photos of early gardens is great – thanks for sharing your story. Mine is way less romantic I suspect. Blog competitions are always tricky in getting participants, I hope you get enough but as there is plenty time to your deadline and you mention it on your sidebar you are giving it a great chance :-)

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    1. We haven't as many old photos Shirl as that was pre digital days when to take photos wasn't second nature.

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  10. Lovely to hear about your gardening history Sue. I am going backwards through your blog posts so I am sure on the next page I will read about the competition!!

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    1. Hope to read about your back story too Tanya

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