The Joys of Gardening and Nature

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Generally speaking, I am a beginning gardener. 35 years ago I planted a packet of flowers, 30 years ago I planted vegetables and a few six packs of flowers. 20 years ago I planted tomatoes and flowers in my back yard to make it pretty for a visit from my mother.

Then, when I took the Master Gardener classes five years ago, I began a gardener's education. I wish I had known decades ago how wonderful gardening could be.

Yesterday, reading the blogs and gardening columns, I found one written by an experienced gardener who said he had no luck growing eggplant. Even though I have to do battle with black beetles, I actually can grow too much eggplant.

Maybe I've learned something.
Or, maybe our soil and weather is better for eggplant than the gardener who wrote that article.

I have been complaining about raising dozens of Monarch butterfly caterpillars that don't seem to make chrysalis. This week, we have found 5 of them on the chain link fencing.

Monarch butterflies' life cycle fascinates me.

Monarch Pupa

This 4th generation is the one that flies to Mexico.
This butterfly just emerged from that chrysalis and is letting its wings dry so it can fly.

Comments

ThrtnWmsFam said…
We too are novice gardeners. Except for the windowbox growing strawberries or a cucumber, or pots on a balconey, this is the first year we actually had a bit of land to call our own. Much to my husband's, er, reluctance, I pretty much covered every bit with a container, raised bed or tire planter. I've discovered I'm no good at growing grass, excel at weeds, fruit trees might or might not depending on their whim, but I can grow any vegetable that I try for. We planted 2 black beauty eggplant and are still harvesting. We have enough tomatoes, string beans, soybeans and zucchini put away for the winter. We're still trying to figure out some of our gourds (a fox family dug them up in the Spring and moved all of my labels) but we think we actually have some pumpkins and a birdhouse gourd! Anyway, being a novice is nothing. We researched and studied and prepared from January (when we bought the house) through seed-starting time. It takes determination. Now, it takes lots of time to keep up with the harvest :) :) Vikki from the Denver, Colorado area // www.thorntonwilliamsfamily.blogspot.com
September 9, 2008 at 7:16 PM
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