You know you're a gardener when...

[Lostvalleyguy]

Everyone probably has a story or two about a time when your gardening habits kicked in.

Yesterday, after a long bike ride, I returned to my building an noticed the planter outside (which is filled with pansies) was dry and all the plants were wilted. People come an go all day but no one had come the the aid of these plants. I knew I was a gardener when I couldn't pass by and do nothing about it. I had a water bottle still full on my bike and donated it to the plants. I just looked again this morning and they are looking a bit happier this morning.

Do you ever do things that remind you that you are truly a gardener?

 

[Ruth B]

Yes! That is me too. I pinch off herbs in a nursery and nibble on them. Get strange looks for that one. I have pinched off seeds of a plant that needed it and put em in my pocket. Hey, they were just throwing it away, as it had gone to seed. I thought, woah, is that a gardener for ya, Ruthe. lol. I have been known to pull other people's weeds. Ok, these are known weeds just for those that say how did I know it was a weed. The list goes on and on. I love the type questions, you know you are a .........when..........

 

[claudine]

I know I'm a real gardener, when I look at roses. I love them so much! When I see them, I immediately feel that I must take care of them, even if they aren't mine, lol I simply can't stop myself!

 

[JGPangi]

Haha, I love this thread. Whenever we take a walk around the neighborhood and I see seedpods just lying on the ground, I just have to pick them up. Fallen fruit too, so I can get at the seeds. I just can't help myself, I just want a garden where everything grows!

 

[Pat]

I know I am a garderner when I see dried up plants needing water and I have a bottle of water in my hand I will pour in on the plant instead of drinking it. If I see a plant with broken stems I will pinch them back also of pull out a few overgrown stems.

 

[carol]

I just feel sad when I see beautiful shrubs shaped into round or squared off objects. They lose all their natural gracefulness when maintenance people shear them like this. The spring-flowering yellow Forsythia shrub is often treated this way. Often the flower buds are cut off and the poor things never get a chance to flower. People actually pay people to turn their plants into basketballs and boxes, done by a so-called landscape expert who doesn't know what their doing and getting paid for the abuse. Many plants never get a chance to become what they are meant to become and the property owner never is the wiser. Seeing this is what gives me a case of gardener's blues. I hate to do it, but I stay uninvolved. The property owner would hate to hear my two cents. Oh well . . . what can I say?!

 

[DeborahJane]

I just feel sad when I see beautiful shrubs shaped into round or squared off objects. They lose all their natural gracefulness when maintenance people shear them like this. The spring-flowering yellow Forsythia shrub is often treated this way. Often the flower buds are cut off and the poor things never get a chance to flower. People actually pay people to turn their plants into basketballs and boxes, done by a so-called landscape expert who doesn't know what their doing and getting paid for the abuse. Many plants never get a chance to become what they are meant to become and the property owner never is the wiser. Seeing this is what gives me a case of gardener's blues. I hate to do it, but I stay uninvolved. The property owner would hate to hear my two cents. Oh well . . . what can I say?!

Hi Carol. I guess my pic of my parterre isn't your cup of tea. It's box hedge though. I have lots of other wild stuff, I promise.

 

[DeborahJane]

Everyone probably has a story or two about a time when your gardening habits kicked in.

Yesterday, after a long bike ride, I returned to my building an noticed the planter outside (which is filled with pansies) was dry and all the plants were wilted. People come an go all day but no one had come the the aid of these plants. I knew I was a gardener when I couldn't pass by and do nothing about it. I had a water bottle still full on my bike and donated it to the plants. I just looked again this morning and they are looking a bit happier this morning.

Do you ever do things that remind you that you are truly a gardener?

Yes I do have those moments. Walking early one morning there I spied a lovely plant hanging over the fence. I resisted that day but couldn't the next morning so I finished my walk with a little poise. Wouldn't have been half obvious.

 

[carol]

Hi Carol. I guess my pic of my parterre isn't your cup of tea. It's box hedge though. I have lots of other wild stuff, I promise.

Oh don't misunderstand. In the proper context, pruning is an art form and as such I realize the work and thought that goes into creating it, such as your pretty parterre. The European knot gardens and the minimalistic Japanese gardens are wonderful. The type of pruning I'm speaking of is about turning graceful Forsythias into large soccer balls and the layered growth pattern of Euonymus into green rectangles (Michael Dirr states "it is often pruned into oblivion"). This type of treatment is often found around the entrances of developments, some golf courses, and businesses by so-called landscapers who honestly don't know what they're doing. It's all quite a shame.

 

[DeborahJane]

Thanks Carol. I'll have to look those plants up and I'm sure you're right. It's early morning and dark here in Australia, otherwise I'd take a photo of my ornamental grape and passionfruit and wonga wonga climber all going berserk over an archway. The passionfruit is latching onto everything in sight. I think you'd like it.

 

[DeborahJane]

Thanks Carol. I'll have to look those plants up and I'm sure you're right. It's early morning and dark here in Australia, otherwise I'd take a photo of my ornamental grape and passionfruit and wonga wonga climber all going berserk over an archway. The passionfruit is latching onto everything in sight. I think you'd like it.

 

[CrazyConure]

You know you're a gardener when you think trees are cute.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

you know your a gardener when after a year and a plant is not working you yank it, toss it, and move on.

 

[IcyBC]

My weakness is seeing half-dead plants at the store like Meijer, Walmart and Kroger. I just want to take them home and try my best to revive them if they were given out free. I rescued a dried up Exotic Angel plant at Walmart two months ago, and now it is happily sitting on kitchen window sill.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

My weakness is seeing half-dead plants at the store like Meijer, Walmart and Kroger. I just want to take them home and try my best to revive them if they were given out free. I rescued a dried up Exotic Angel plant at Walmart two months ago, and now it is happily sitting on kitchen window sill.

When ever I go to Lowe's I head for their discount plants to see what I can bring home and save.