Two houses and four years it’s taken me to grow a true garden, and now that I’m able to grow my own, I am absolutely ecstatic and want to share this new passion of mine. To be really clear – I have NO extra time to be doing this. I have three kids, a full-time job, and some side gig work I do besides blog writing. Growing my own garden is an incredible experience that brings me joy – let me tell you more.
Gardening is not for everyone.
I have found that growing my own has been a powerful and prideful experience. From the moment your first seeds start to peek up over the dirt, to the feeling you get when you’ve set your plants in the ground, but most wonderfully when a friend or family member sees your garden and says, “Wow!”, having a garden is an opportunity to feel accomplished when so much of parenting can feel hard and redundant. And even if something doesn’t quite pan out – it’s ok! It’s not one of your tiny humans you’re raising – it’s just a plant!
There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments. – Janet Kilburn Phillips
When you grow your own, you get to see the beauty of the different leaves, the unique ways each item grows and have the satisfaction of pulling a ripe item from your garden and taking it straight to your table. My husband knows taking care of my garden is my time away, and it can be so incredibly peaceful to water, pick weeds and not have to answer the “mom, mommy, mama” the rest of the day is filled with.
My kids are learning to love the garden. It’s like a scavenger hunt each time we go to water – looking for something to pick. My oldest, who is the pickiest of eaters, helps me wash and cut the veggies and has started to try them – even realizing that if he doesn’t like it once it may taste different the next time. KidsGardening.org has lots of great resources too for getting the kids involved!
Oh yeah – and taste? When you grow your own, everything tastes better. Veggies, fruits, herbs – all of it. Stronger, better flavor and smells that simply can’t be bought at the store.
So – if you’ve never gardened before but are considering getting started – I’d recommend getting a few potted items and see if it’s for you. You may just turn into a plant parent like me!
