Early one morning with a large coffee one hand and the latest issue of Horticulture magazine in the other, I perused the editorial intro examining how people got into gardening. Immediately, I was caught up in thoughts of what got me started. Initially, a love of flowers and beautiful foliage inspired my “dirty” habit, but the waning economy has definitely encouraged me to expand my plots. If you love flowers, plant a garden (use seeds and they’re dirt cheap, pun intended)! If you like fresh produce and need to save money, plant a garden. To give a meal real flavor, you can’t beat the taste of just-picked fruits and veggies (like these from my garden, right). 
Most folks think this time of year means gardening season is ending in our region. Instead, potted herbs like this rosemary (shown left) and flowers over-wintered indoors make the long, cold months seem less barren. Being quite a gardening junkie, the idea of allowing winter to interfere with my dirty little habit is unfathomable. My mind is reeling with ideas for someday building an attached greenhouse along the south side of our farmhouse. Being able to dig in dirt in the mornings with my coffee mug beside me and before bed at night would be heaven on earth. For now, plant stands packed along south-facing sliding doors in the family room (just off the kitchen) provide ample space. Newspapers on the counter and the kitchen sink work well to divide and repot plants. A lower cabinet in the kitchen stores potting supplies, plant food, and soil. This area works quite well, but there are times my family gets annoyed with my dirtying the kitchen for hours at a time. Some would call it a hobby, I suppose, but gardening is more of an obsession to me. I become completely absorbed when I fuss over my plants, but they do filter our indoor air so it’s a healthy addiction really.
With warmer weather hanging on less and less each day before fall sets in, my outdoor gardening days are numbered. There’s always pruning to do, so I’ll be busily working our paths (like the one shown here) on the 4-wheeler with my trusty tools trimming away here and there. Soon our local garden center will be putting all their leftover seed packets on clearance and I’ll be right there planning my winter garden. This year, I’m going to invest in some grow lights and better plant shelves. It’s not a greenhouse, but that will feed my craving to cultivate well enough for now. 
