So... The First Installment...

So, the title of my blog wraps things up fairly well, I think. I got into gardening completely on accident.

It all started when I decided to get married. I fell in love with Ranunculus flowers from all the bridal magazines, but the magazines also tell you that - from a florist - they are not cheap. So, I got the idea of growing some of my own to save some money, and still have a plant to get more flowers afterward. Thus began the search for more information. I found a site that sold bulbs of all different colors. After that initial search, I decided to wait a while since I wouldn't have to plant them for a bit longer.

The main inclination to gardens came on full throttle when I visited The Cloisters in New York City. It was the last thing we did before we caught our plane back to Florida on July 17, 2008, and I have to say it was my favorite place in the city. The architecture, the art, the gardens, the view. Everything was so picturesque. The gardens are designed in medieval styles, with historical formations and ancient plants. All the plants are also sectioned off by their purpose: kitchen, medicine, fragrance, and magic. I loved these gardens, and that caused me to look up information on these medieval plants.

Ok, so that was a long explaination of how I came to love herbs, both common and strange. When I started showing an interest in growing herbs, my mother decided I should grow a vegetable garden too. Now I have been bitten by the gardening bug and can't get enough of it. A modest sized garden that I started in my backyard went from having 1 fig tree, 9 black eyed peas, 9 okra, 1 ichiban, 2 eggplant, 9 corn, 6 tomato, and 4 pepper plants has now more than doubled its size. Today, I have 1 fig tree, 21 tomatoes, 16 okra, 2 eggplant, 1 ichiban, 9 black eyed peas, 2 giant pumpkins, 3 straberries, 2 sweet potatoes and 7 corn plants. That's without the herbs.

In my herb patch I have 2 pineapple sage, spicy globe basil, parsley, lemon verbena, bee balm, lemon balm, cilantro, chives, cinnamon basil, and common sage. This patch will also grow within the next couple of days to include costmary and dittany (which I had to special order from Delaware) and lamb's ear and feverfew.

I tell you, I have an addiction.

I also have many plants I have sprouted from seeds that are just waiting to be big enough for the ground, as well as 4 dendrobium orchids and 1 phalaenopsis orchid, 2 mandevilla vines on trellises, 1 confederate star jasmine vine on a trellis, and 1 rosemary plant that I have turned into a topiary (as well as all of the clippings that have now rooted to make new plants).

I'm telling you, I dove in head first to gardening and now it has become a passion. I'm looking at it as a sink or swim situation and I plan on swimming, but we shall see how it goes. Hopefully, I end up helping someone out with my accounds, but if not at least I have my garden to console me :)



P.S. I did finally order my Ranunculus bulbs, which I have yet to plant, but I will report the results when I do.