What You Should Know if You are Thinking About Starting Your First Garden

Gardening is an affordable, challenging and a very rewarding hobby.

It was my grandmother, who passed her passion for gardening to me. When I was a little girl, I helped my grandmother with her garden, where she grew a lot of vegetables and a few flowers. We worked together planting, watering, pulling weeds, checking our plants; make sure they are healthy and happy. At that time I just enjoyed being outside, close to my grandma, surrounded by green, colorful, cheerful plants. I did not know that every plant had its own character and growing habits. This was the biggest challenge for me when I started my first garden.

Now I know that some flowers prefer sunny locations, while others are happier in the shade. Some of the flowers will bloom growing in a poor soil, but will produce only leaves, if soil is too rich. I know that some plants are very fussy and not reliable, but there are tons of those beautiful plants, that are easy to grow and that will survive even in adverse conditions. So, the beginner gardener should stick to those reliable kinds and choose from them. This will save a lot of money and minimize frustration. Among those reliable for Minnesota perennials are all kinds of sedum, hostas, achillias, colombines, floxes, rudebekkias, monardas, bleeding hearts, and lilies, just to name a few. These plants multiply from year to year. Start with a small garden, and in a course of three to five years those perennials will grow into so many plants, that garden will double and triple its size, and you still have some plants to share with your friends.

I would encourage everybody to give it a try and start their little garden. Learn about plants growing habits. Some of them, like hostas, will grow well in almost any soil and location. Monarda, another name is bergamot or bee balm, likes to grow in a light shade and moist soil. Bleeding heart has growing requirements somewhat similar to those of monarda. There is also a list of annuals, which are easy to grow. Besides, those annuals will reseed easily. This will save your money and time. Marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, ageratum are among those that are the easiest to grow. Children can start their own garden with those plants.

Another challenge of gardening – it is a commitment. If you are dreaming about starting your garden, be ready to work hard to make sure you provide your plants with good soil, with watering on time and keeping weeds out of the garden throughout the growing season. It is a commitment that takes time, patience, hard work. Fortunately, gardening is not only challenging, but also and very rewarding.

To me, gardening brings a lot of rewards. I enjoy being outdoors from the early spring, when I begin to clean my garden from last year’s leaves and look for a first sign of awakening. Tiny green tips protrude through the old wet brown leaves, and after that the new growth takes off. Every day I see huge changes in my garden. Time passes, and there are first flowers, proudly looking around and waiting for admiration. I have bergenia blooming right now, in April, with gorgeous pink flowers. My Nankin cherry trees are covered with white-pinkish bloom. Anemones and adonices will follow. The very first thing in the morning, I look through my bedroom window down on my garden, and what I see fills me with joy. I have a great start of my day. Later I will have my own organically grown veggies and herbs. I will have enough for my family and my friends. And it makes me feel good about eating organic produce and about being able to share it with other people, who does not have their own garden yet.

So, I suggest you start your garden by going to the library or check on-line about plants you would like to have in your garden. Then buy a kit and test the soil in the location of your future garden to make sure it is suitable for the plants you want to grow. Then plant them and take a very good care of your garden. The garden will pay you back!