I believe that gardening is about sharing – sharing tips and experiences, plant cuttings, plant divisions, and pictures, because who doesn’t like to gaze upon beautiful flowers! Gardening isn’t always easy, but there is something very cathartic about digging in the dirt, planting and nurturing, topping off your treasures with a nice layer of mulch, and then watching them spring into a beautiful display of color.
I’m very excited to share with all of you what I’ve learned after 40+ years of experimenting. Let me say up front that I am NOT a Master Gardener, but I’ve mastered the art of mixing my own potting soil for the healthiest plants, selecting the best fertilizers, making my own treatments for pests like rose thrips, and creating stunning combinations for flower beds and containers.
My gardening journey began when I was about 12 years old growing up in Middle Tennessee. My parents’ ten-acre farmland was covered in rocks, but underneath, the soil was the rich brown earth you find in that part of the country. The four Oxford girls were really like Daddy’s boys. We mucked the stalls at our barn, mowed the front four acres of pasture with a push mower, and picked up rocks, a lot of rocks. My Daddy always called those days Rock and Roll parties!
Once we got the back six acres cleared, that was when the Garden parties started. We worked to clear about an acre for a vegetable garden. My Daddy was a horse trainer and blacksmith. We didn’t have money for a tractor, so he built his own plow. I’m sure we were the only family in Shelbyville, Tennessee, who used our Tennessee Walking show horses to plow a garden!
I can’t say that any of us Oxford girls were thrilled to work in the garden, but the corn, okra, beans, and tomatoes we grew were enjoyed at the dinner table year-round!
Years later, when I moved away from the family farm, my focus turned to flower gardening. At the same time, I began a 20+ year career in television weather and reporting. I worked in Nashville, Cincinnati, and Columbus, Georgia. At each of those stations, I developed a weekly gardening segment. I was fortunate to work with a horticulturist from the Cincinnati Zoo. His team grew fruits and vegetables for the animals and were responsible for the landscaping of the zoo grounds. I worked with Master Gardeners across Tennessee and developed a friendship with Reinhold Holtkamp of Optimara African violet fame. In Georgia, I often developed stories with help from the experts at Callaway Gardens. Located in Pine Mountain, it is truly a wondrous outdoor escape filled with azaleas, hydrangeas, and a bonanza of butterflies! It was wonderful to share those stories and tips with viewers. I learned a lot and, hopefully, they did too.
Along the way, my enthusiasm for growing flowers was shared with my sister, Angela, in Memphis. We would email and text pictures of our nursery “finds,” traded tips on what was performing well or not-so-much in our flower gardens. It wasn’t unusual for us to call while plant shopping and describe in detail new discoveries. Our niece, Jennifer, who lives in Tullahoma, Tennessee, also caught the growing bug. Over the years we have all traded daylily and iris divisions, seeds, and advice. What great memories we have and continue to create! Some of the flowers featured in this picture are Tennessee transplants. Gardening is truly a family affair, at least for us.
I have learned from some of the best, but the most beneficial lessons have come over time through trial and error. That is another reason why I am so excited about sharing all of that with all of you! I’m quite sure we will learn new ideas from each other. I look forward to hearing from you – about your successes, the plants that disappointed, and any questions you might have. Please stay in touch at [email protected].
Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” I can’t think of a more powerful sentiment, especially in today’s world.
