by Arleen M. Kaptur

Wherever you live, whatever the climate or the amount of sunshine or rain in a given season, it is possible to grow an abundant garden. Envision a garden filled with flowers of every color you can dream of, herbs that are both fragrant and hardy, and of course, a harvest that would be a portrait of all that Nature can lay claim to. Bright berries, and fruit that is succulent and just dripping with juice, vegetables that glow in the sunlight with dew from the morning and lay heavy on leaves that cradle and protect them until they are picked and become part of a meal fit for royalty, this and so much more is possible. You ask, "What do I do if I don’t have a green thumb, or even a plot of ground to call my own?"

Well, as for the plot of ground, there is great success with container gardening on balconies, front stoops, porches, etc. As for the green thumb, or if you are all "thumbs", trial and error can be a lot of fun. Read, read, and order seed catalogs. Most are free and the pictures will get your heart a’thumping. Save your scraps, and leftovers to feed nutrients and "get growing" vitamins and minerals into your soil, and by all means, call or write to extension agencies, gardening centers, and see what grows in your area, during what season, and when is the best time to plant.

Enough said about the "ground rules" so how about the "heart rules". We all have gardening in our blood, everyone in different degrees and directions. To watch life come from a seed or a small plant is a lesson in life itself. In fact, it is life when you consider that billions of these plants are needed to feed the world and to insure future generations of sustenance. So what are these hard and fast rules that are needed to unleash that gardener hiding in the recesses of your heart? Go outdoors, and feel the sunshine on your face, or the snow crunching under your boots, touch a leaf, or hold your hand under a running stream. In other words, get in touch with nature that surrounds you wherever you live. Read and learn about preservatives and chemicals and want purity and goodness for all your meals and for those you love. Then grab that shovel (or buy one if you happen not to have one) and find some good old-fashioned dirt and plant "something." Invite a friend or a child to watch its progress with you, and laugh, smile, and enjoy - without a little growing in our lives, then we become stagnant and we lose the magic - that pearl of feeling close to the earth, of having accomplished what we set out to do, and of letting Nature teach us patience and beauty not found on television or in the movies - but real, can touch it, beauty right there at your fingertips.

Whether you crush some herbs for a special dish from plants on your windowsills, or have enough zucchini to cure starvation in the world, grab that seed packet and ENJOY.

©Arleen M. Kaptur 2004 February
Arleen Kaptur, author, has written books, articles, and columns. For more information check out: Arleen’s Daily Journal