A Garden Is an Expression of Ourselves
Judy in her garden
“Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.” ~ Alfred Austin, English poet
By Judith Canty Graves
Recently someone told me that she admires my garden because it is unique. That caused me to reflect on how my garden is an expression of myself and what I like to grow. Then I realized that all gardens are expressions of ourselves and our creativity. I believe that is true because of all the choices gardeners make throughout the gardening season.
The first step is to want a garden and begin to visualize it, just like with anything else. It all starts with our imagination. We consider our garden plot and how we want it to look. We can choose a vegetable garden, a flower garden, an herb garden or a combination of the three.
Once we make that decision, then we consider the vast array of plants to grow, each requiring a different plan. For example, whenever I plant squash seeds, I always allow plenty of room for the squash vines to spread out, because that’s what the plant needs. For tomato plants, I will install a cage or stake as they grow, since it is important to keep the tomatoes off the ground as they ripen.
The same is true for flowers. In my planning, I consider their height and width and then plant them in what I consider to be a good garden design, giving each plant enough space to thrive and mature. Since I like to grow a variety of sunflowers in many colors and sizes, I plant them in the back of my garden bed because they are tall. I plant shorter flowers, such as zinnias and marigolds, closer to the front.
Years ago, when I was part of a community garden, I decided to have two rows of colorful zinnias around the edges of my plot that everyone could see. At first, their green foliage was enough to attract attention, but the blooms of red, yellow, orange and purple attracted even more attention! It was fun to design a floral display that others could enjoy. Before I planted the seeds, I could visualize these handsome zinnias in the summer months of July and August. I knew these plants would do well in this sunny location.
What I have learned from these experiences is that gardeners should carefully consider which vegetables they like to eat and which flowers they enjoy looking at in planning their gardens. It is that simple. Your choices will reflect your personality and interests. Your creativity will be on display in a garden design that showcases the beautiful plants you grow.
All of my decisions reflect who I am and what I like to grow in my garden, both for visual appeal and for eating tasty vegetables. The same will be true for you. Use your garden to express who you are!
Judith Canty Graves is an award-winning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
