Seeking A Green Thumb

I remember growing up with plants around us. When we lived in Toronto in apartments, I remember (more through pictures) of all the plants on the window sills. I can remember going to Edward’s Garden in Toronto with my dad’s sister and family. And “crimes” my uncle and mom would try to get away with… breaking a piece of whatever exotic plant or flower caught their attention. They would bring it home and place it in water to try and get the roots to come.

The Jasmine Plant was a favorite for my mom or the curry leaf plan. Someone would smuggle it from India and as it grew they would pass a piece to transplant. Gardening or plants was a memory I associated with my mom. But as I grew older, it became a memory that I attached to my dad.

Maybe my mom was busy working (to provide for us) and my dad was around. But gardenin was a soothing balm for my father. He spent literally HOURS in the gardens. It was not a small one either. He would use stakes and string to make rolls… very neat rolls and make paths to walk around the vegetables. He really missed his calling as an landscaper.

He would stand for hours in the evening watering the plants with the hose. He would wake up at 5-6 a.m. and begin the tedious process of weeding. When I think back, gardening was so natural to him as breathing. The last 10 or plus years he has been living in Tennessee, this is what he does during the warmer weather. He lives in an apartment and has landscaped the whole front of the buildings. He gets donations from various green houses and pretties up the place. Then on the side of the building is a huge area that is his garden! He was given an award or something my the city persons for making his community better!

The front of our house in Ohio was covered with some creeping plants covering most of the porch.

Now… I, the other hand, did not inherit my father or mother’s green thumb! Or maybe it was being awaken at 6 a.m. in the summer mornings to go WEED the GARDEN!!! I would get so TICKED OFF!!! This was my teen years, so obviously I needed to sleep in but no, the garden was calling! My dad’s reasoning was to be there and get the job done before it was too hot.

My kids so lovingly bring home these plants from school, every year for Mother’s Day. Now they bring it, say Happy Mother’s Day, and then say “It’s OK it’s going to die. Maybe you should give it to grandma.” Sanj’s mom has a green thumb too.

Sad, eh? I just can’t keep things alive that don’t speak up! “Mom, FOOD!!!”

So this new house is on acreage. About 2 of it needs mowing. The lady there says it takes 4 hours!!! Sanj has passed this on to me… as time is limited on the weekends. He even went to put a deposit on a riding lawnmower. I am thinking that is what I have 6 boys for. I will have to keep the number of our handy dandy yard guy now. “Billy… our lawn needs mowing.”

“Hey Sanj… look at the great job I did on the yard.!!!” 🙂

OK, so this house has a beautiful wrap around porch. The curb appeal is great. But mainly because of all the flowers and greenery that is surrounding it. HELLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Who is going to do that next year? I wonder if these flowers are annuals or is it perennials … I don’t even know for sure… but what I mean is the plants that come back on their own each year… annually… right?

My thumbs are brown. Some things even genetics can’t help!