Black Thumb, Green Thumb

I’ve never really grown anything before.  My mom always joked that she had a black thumb, and the only live plant I remember in our house (aside from the occassional bouquet of flowers) was an aloe plant that needed to be replaced from time to time.  I never really took an interest in growing things, and aside from the aloe plant (which soothed numerous burn wounds growing up), I don’t think I really saw a reason to learn.

So you can imagine my surprise when Pat’s mom and aunt came to visit last weekend and announced that they would be helping us to replace the overgrown flower baskets on the fence around our new home as a housewarming gift.  Our house had not been lived in for almost 3 months when we moved in, and we never bothered with the dead plants we seemed to just ignore each day.

I actually had fun helping to pick out flowers for our new “garden” at Lowe’s – and then Pat’s aunt had a brilliant idea.  She suggested that we could grow food in the flowerboxes.  Just recently I was reading an article in Self Magazine about how to grow your own food and thought it sounded really cool, but would never work in the tiny patch that is our backyard (aka Bailey’s Bathroom).

We came home, and they helped show me how to empty the remains of the dead flowers, replace the burlap, put down new soil with miracle gro, and plant the potted plants (hey, I’m a beginner, no seeds for me!)… and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome!  I feel a certain sense of pride knowing that I am growing my own food (even if I might only get a handful of plants a year) and I get excited each day I see a new bloom from the flowers.

In the garden I am growing  (okay, attempting to grow) tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, basil and strawberries.

Now all I need is an aloe plant for the house!