The gardener

The Beginner.

Gardeners! well first of all we have the beginner. Remember the time when first you realised that ornamental gardening was going to become your hobby and great interest. Were you like me, couldn’t possibly read enough on the subject. Gardening was an experiment, you were only ever going to learn by your own successes and failures.

It was unlikely that at this early stage you had a greenhouse to raise the half hardy annuals, so like me you probably just chanced your luck sowing directly outdoors. Wasn’t it surprising to find just how much success you did have. Then there was the visits to the garden centres, we were never away from the places. Anything that took your fancy you just had to get, didn’t matter where in the garden it was going to go or whether or not they complimented each other. You loved your garden and at this stage were probably unaware whether or not it was tasteful or not to anyone else’s eyes. You were now well and truly hooked.

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The Amateur

Right, so now you have been gardening for a year or so, no longer a complete novice, but in fact a fully fledged Amateur, just like myself, and likely you always will be.

You now know a helluva lot more than you did when first you started out. You know the difference  between  perennials and annuals, when and how to prune Roses and when to apply the lawn feeding. Are you also surprised at how the plant names are being retained in that head of yours, good! well by the time you reach my age you will start forgetting them again and possibly start keeping an on-line record of them.

Although you will never know everything about gardening it will still be a great journey of discovery. You will probably always experiment with plants. However there just has to come a time when you start to think, why do I love gardening so much, well its not just for the satisfaction of growing these beautiful plants, there is something else which you must do (create a blooming garden.) Its no good continually harping on about the garden styles which you don’t like, start thinking and planning for a garden which you will like.

It wont necessarily come to you easily but get on with it, trial and error, no one else can really help you. One July morning you will look out of the window and (Wow.)

No matter how happy you are with your garden now, somewhere down the line you may well take it into your head to change the whole blooming thing and start all over again. This is a link to the beautiful garden of my friend  Larry

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The Professional

We all need their help from time to time. Tree pruning for instance, generally speaking I have done it myself. However there comes a time when it would be foolhardy to chance it, especially when you have reached the Autumn of your life, late fall in my case.

This blogging thing has put me in touch with some real gardening experts who are only too willing to pass on their expertise. Michael Thompson, working as a full time gardener in Dorset finds time to blog about his experience as a gardener in an English country estate.Check out his blog, you will be glad that you did. Hazel tree 

Now head across the Atlantic and visit Carolyn, here is a very busy lady who runs a nursery specialising in plants for those shady spots in your garden. A true expert who is so very helpful with her knowledge you will wonder how you managed without her, a real expert on Hellebores, pay her a visit on a truly inspiring blog. Carolyns shade garden 

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Well I suppose we are at the end of our little journey. Remember do enjoy your garden whichever route you may take. Gardeners by their very nature want to share their gardens and experiences with you. Even those gardens which may not be to your taste at the moment, there is no reason why you should not take pleasure in what gives them great delight.

© 2011 – 2016, Alistair. All rights reserved.