Like most gardeners, I love my own garden the best. Part of that is the fact that I am the designer as well as the one who decides which plant and where and who actually puts it in the ground. It is that familiarly that breeds contentment.
Not long ago I realized I have three gardening friends who all live on my side of town and whose gardens I have visited enough to be quite familiar with as well. I decided we should form an informal group to visit each other's gardens, talk gardens, get in-person advice and share books, information and ideas. But no set meeting schedule, no projects, no fees or obligations.
We've met four times and have seen all the gardens but one. At our last meet-up we all brought books, computers, 3-ring binders and talked about how we keep track of our plantings and how effective each particular system is working for each of us. One person even brought a beautiful piece of stained glass she'd just made that she later installed in her garden. When we're not meeting, we're emailing each other with reminders of events, questions and links to articles, plant lists and Youtube videos.
I'm sure that this desire to hang out with fellow gardeners in person is a lingering result of our year of living COVIDLY and mostly gardening via Zoom. Though I am a long time member of Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society (and am on their excellent FB page many times a day), nothing has proved as much fun as getting together in living color with this like-minded group.
I love this idea of a small informal group exchange.
Posted by: Rick Shaver | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 07:32 AM
Nice post, Linda, and it sounds like such a nice little group of friends who garden. I wonder if this is an example of the many transformations in living that Covid will bring about without people even realizing that we are perhaps on the edge of great shifts in how we live and think?
Posted by: Barbara H. | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 08:00 AM
I love it! And I'm a little jealous that you have your merry band of four. None of my friends or acquaintences like to garden. It's why I read blogs. Have a wonderful time comparing notes and puzzling out problems, and if you choose to share on your blog, so much the better!
Posted by: Elizabeth | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 08:02 AM
BARBARA — I think you are right. Our Hardy Plant Society is going to hold some outdoor garden tours this summer, but it looks like our fall meetings will still be Zoom. Between aging gardeners, travel distances and Wisconsin weather a lot of us have found that we like Zoom webinars.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 09:38 AM
ELIZABETH — None of my siblings garden and most of my inlaws don't either; certainly nobody is over the top like me. So it is really nice to have found a group of like-minded women. We are all thrilled with our little group.
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 09:43 AM
That sounds wonderful, Linda. The majority of my friends are not gardeners, even though they periodically buy a plant or two to pop into a pot, or less frequently put in the ground. However, I do have one gung-ho gardener friend who's been hard at work renovating her garden I should visit...
Posted by: Kris P | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 02:41 PM
What a great idea, Linda! I've missed in-person time with gardeners, too. My next-door neighbor is really getting into gardening lately, so it's fun to talk plants and gardening with her. I need to get over to Olbrich again one of these days, too...this is one of my favorite times of the year to visit it.
Posted by: Beth@PlantPostings | Monday, June 28, 2021 at 08:43 PM
Sounds perfect! The informal group of Portland gardeners that I'm part of has been a huge support system.
Posted by: danger garden | Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 12:27 PM