Getting Started

For years, my front yard had become something neighbors looked forward to seeing every spring. I spent weekends planting flowers, trimming shrubs, and carefully arranging colorful blooms so something was always in season. Winning the neighborhood garden award three years in a row felt less like a competition and more like recognition for years of…

When I planted my first elderflower bush, I expected it to become another pleasant addition to the backyard. I had read that people made homemade syrups and cordials from the blossoms, but I assumed it was more of a hobby than anything practical. My neighbors smiled politely when they saw the small shrub and joked…

When the old wooden fence between our backyards finally started leaning, replacing it seemed like the obvious solution. My neighbor, Carol, came over with a friendly smile and suggested we split the expense because we would both benefit from a new fence. We shook hands, agreed on everything, and hired a local contractor together. The…

I never imagined I would start keeping a notebook about my own backyard, but strange things kept happening that I could not explain. Flower stems were bent, freshly planted seedlings disappeared, and my garden gate was never quite where I had left it. At first I convinced myself I was simply forgetting small details after…

When I took over a neglected community garden plot, I thought the hardest part would be clearing weeds and deciding what to plant. The previous gardener had moved away the year before, leaving the soil untouched through an entire winter. Several experienced gardeners in the community warned me that bare soil often changes in ways…

When I bought my house, the first project I tackled was turning the empty front yard into a colorful pollinator garden. It took months of planting native flowers, building stone borders, and learning which plants thrived together. Most people walking through the neighborhood stopped to compliment the blooms or ask what I was growing. One…

Every spring, I start far more vegetable seedlings than I could ever fit in my own garden. Instead of letting the extras go to waste, I pot them individually and give them away to neighbors who want to try growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs. It has become a small tradition on our street, and…

When I moved into my townhouse, the only outdoor space I had was a concrete patio barely large enough for a small table and two chairs. Friends joked that my gardening days were over because I no longer had a backyard. I refused to believe that was true, so I started researching fruit trees that…

Gardening has always been my favorite way to unwind, and over the years I filled our yard with plants that each carried a memory. Some came from my grandmother’s garden, while others were gifts from friends who had moved away. My husband, Mark, always claimed he did not know much about gardening, but he never…

I started composting because I wanted to cut down on kitchen waste and improve the soil in my vegetable garden. I carefully followed every recommendation, turning the pile regularly and balancing green materials with dry leaves so it would break down properly. Even so, my next door neighbor, Linda, complained almost from the moment I…