Horticulturist

A Returning Nontraditional Student in Horticulture

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As the days grow darker, I’m retreating into the comforts of home and am nesting more and more in what feels comfortable. I’ve retreated into what some might call my own version of a cloister or maybe even an ivory tower, but in reality, I feel like I never get anything done and am moving very fast through many things.

At home—at Campiello Maurizio—I’m rearranging furniture, and tossing things I no longer need. This is happening physically, metaphorically, and psychologically. Going forward, I’m painting walls and building comfortable areas to share with close friends and family who are showing more that they genuinely care about me, and I can be more free to choose to safely care about them. The goal here is to keep pushing myself to earn and do more. I’m very tired of “just getting by” and being in debt. Chronic health issues are expensive and draining on many fronts, and I know that I deserve more, that I can do more, so I’m huddled down, resting between what I can only call massive efforts, and I’m open to new opportunities even though it’s sometimes scary to me.

The recent promotion to Production Manager at Secret Garden Growers is also just the right fit for me. Limiting myself to one nursery job was a good idea for clarification of purpose, and just to feel more focussed on what matters to me… I want to get nice plants into the hands of gardeners and into gardens as quickly as I can.

It is not easy though to work 30 hours a week at a nursery and with my seeds, then also to go to school at Clackamas Community College. I’m determined though to earn my AAS in Horticulture. Sometimes I think it is a crazy plan, then on other days I feel like I was made to be the ideal nontraditional student.

To make this all work though it means less time for writing, and less time for anything lazy and fun. It means going through a lot of personal growth, pushing myself when it’s very uncomfortable, and learning anything and everything I can. I feel refreshed in my awareness of beginner’s mind daily, and I relish learning what I don’t know yet, and I’m learning a lot for a second or third time.

And like the garden, I will grow better, and more beautifully, with all of this attention to pruning and editing.

Change and growth are beautiful things.

The Week After the Open Garden

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On Thursday I waited until bedtime to write, and then I did the same on Friday. It’s called procrastination, but it’s also called self-care.

It’s been a long week. As many of you know, it’s continued to be cold and wet in the PNW and in addition to the long hours of gardening, and working, I’m recovering. My osteoarthritis is aching, I’m dealing with swelling, and in general I’m pretty tired.

Lathyrus aureus was the most asked about plant in the garden last weekend.

Until you’ve opened up your home to the public, it’s easy to think it’s no big deal. But it is! It’s scary. Yes, you’re opening yourself up for a lot of fun. Random sweet strangers may become friends. You’re going to laugh and chat a lot because you’ll be so tired—but by then you won’t care!

More than anything though, you’re going to worry about the jerks. There will be a few. They’re always there, like weeds. You’ll never be rid of them.

Viola corsica was my favorite plant in the garden this week.

Just know that you don’t need to go through life like them. If you need to visit gardens or judge others to gain some kind of self-esteem, that’s rough. “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” is all I can say to that. Life is short and precious.

Sure, not all gardens are for me, yet I always appreciate the time and energy it takes to open one for nearly nothing in return. It takes a lot of work, and in the end, you’ll have a guest like I did who appeared just before I closed the gate, describing and seeing my garden exactly as it is to me.

She and her young guest were a gift that cold wet day. Be that garden guest.

I told guests that the mirror under the table was used by the cats. When they go to drink water at the bowl, they have a rearview mirror. Here’s Felix just days later “checking his back”.

It was a long week.

It was a relief to have the event come and go.

It was a treat to have the prelude to the next event in a few more weeks.

Oh the anticipation. Yes, I’m a tease.

Pelargonium ‘Colocho’ cuttings paired with Sinningia ‘Shelby’ divisions in a flat at work.

What did I enjoy the most? More than anything I enjoyed telling people about my work. Lots of folks saw my racks of plants and assumed they were all for sale—but they’re not. I’m a propagator practicing my craft at home and it’s fun to share that with others even if they don’t always understand. I guess that’s what the blog is here for and for me to promote what one horticulturist does. Yes, I have collections of plants, and yes, there are breeding projects too. I just don’t advertise all of that.

Unknown Dutch iris I planted years ago. It pairs well with the new Jeep.

Once I get everything planted I plan to take more pics. I will write more about how watering has determined everything.

There will be charts, diagrams, and maps.

Kidding!

Maybe I should just have a few plant lists? Yes.

But now, it’s time to rest.

I just can’t stress enough how much it matters to not care about what other people think, and that if you want to share the work that you do, then go ahead and share it. Gardening matters. Growing plants makes us happy. If the sad people find their way into all of that, then so be it. Let them walk across that stage and exit left, or right, or whichever way folks leave your space.

Any which way works!

I just won’t be the one telling you how to design your space—but I’d happily sit and listen, letting you tell me all about it.