How the Garden Grows

Gardens bring a certain joy to the grower. I come from a long line of gardeners. We gardeners, however, come in different types. Some gardeners trim grass, edge walks, prune trees and nurture flowers. Others care for roses, plants and hedges. Gardeners like myself have favorite plants that we put out each year. My efforts do not necessarily feed me throughout the year like the old timers in the past, but rather I find immense joy in the process of growing. The effort feels like a partnership with God. I plant, rain waters and God gives the increase.

Now what to plant, there lies the rub. Some of my neighbors go full tilt and have rows of beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers. Others have the traditional Native American garden (the Three Sisters): corn, squash and beans. Some like raising only roses. My dad grew roses. Sure he always had a big vegetable garden every year but oh how he loved his roses. He had the Yellow Rose of Texas, an American Beauty and even a Pink Lady. I smile even now as I reminisce and faintly smell the fragrance of those luscious, fully bloomed roses. I consider myself a pragmatic gardener. I don't attempt any crop too ambitious. I just want to participate in the process of growing.

I have tomatoes. The names of the plants seem very interesting to me. For example, you might buy Early Girls or Better Boys. I remember dad talking about Better Boys. Maybe he bought tomato plants by that name in hopes of helping us (the three boys) to become Better Boys. Maybe he just bought them because they looked hearty. In any case, tomatoes rank high in importance for a garden. You can eat fresh tomatoes, fry green tomatoes, make sauce for pizza or spaghetti or just can the tomatoes. Let's not forget the big argument: do you consider tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable? You see what I mean? Tomatoes rate a place in the best of gardens.



Young Peas



I have peas. The vine up almost like ivy. They have a light green and somewhat frail vine but they seem so capable of growing. I've never been fond of peas to eat but I do so enjoy watching them grow. They prepare easily so one would be silly not to eat them when they're ready to harvest. You can always take a container of peas to the next pitch-in dinner. Their rich, green color will set off any meal. The very name conjures up interesting images such as sweet pea, the Princess and the Pea and so forth. Peas compliment any meal.

I grow cucumbers and cantaloupe. I'm originally from Indiana so I almost have to have some type of melon in my garden. I don't have much room so this presents a challenge keeping all of those vines laced into one small area. Cantaloupe and cucumber vines remind me of the word prolific. They grow prolifically. The blooms remind me of a dish I ate while in Hong Kong. The yellow soft petals would go well in a salad. Don't eat the petals though because you'll end up with no cantaloupe or cucumbers. Let them grow prolifically.

I tried something new this year. I planted Chinese Eggplant. My dad grew Egg Plant, but not the Chinese kind. I remember mom frying it up and I liked it. It tasted like mushrooms to me. I wanted Chinese Egg Plant in order to keep to tradition. Everything you buy at Walmart is made in China so I decided that I shouldn't break protocol. My Egg Plant should be Chinese too. Besides, I liked living in Hong Kong. I plan to bake my first harvest of Chinese Egg Plant. After that, I will probably fry a few. I know that frying foods makes modern chefs cringe but...I've many traditions to keep that come from my childhood too.

I enjoy a garden. Jesus prayed in the garden alone. I do that. I walk up to the garden at dusk and welcome the night. The air seems fresh and clean in a garden. In reality, I don't suppose it is what you grow in your garden that is most important but rather that you have a garden in which to watch plants grow. Some people say you can't see plants grow but then I don't think they spend much time in a garden. I see plants grow. I know I grow in my garden. Next time you feel insulted, abused, depressed or unappreciated, take a walk in a garden. Grow a garden. Grow in a garden. Take time to smell the roses, cucumbers, tomatoes or whatever! Go, sow, grow and know the peace of a flourishing garden.