The problem is I love my garden. I’m not the greatest gardener in the world and my garden can best be described as “rustic.” But it is my little slice of paradise that I can indulge myself, taking comfort from the knowledge that my family are being fed food that is not only healthy, fresh, has a low carbon footprint, low air miles, is cheap and of a variety that we wouldn’t normally be able to buy. (I mean – I have TWO kinds of artichoke! One I’ve never seen at the supermarket and the other I have but it would blow the budget right out of the water.) And it is spring. What better time to be a gardener with a whole season full of promise ahead.
I also love to write about my garden. I really enjoy coming inside in the evening and sitting down and my keyboard and weaving a story about my efforts (or more frustrating – the lack of effort). I revel in the challenge of making something as mundane as spreading poop onto the cold damp soil that will soon be home to the most delicious varieties of tomato, into a tale that would be a joy to read about and even possibly make someone laugh with me. I want to share my proud moments and my downfalls with someone – anyone.
But at the same time it doesn’t matter if no one actually reads it. I’ve done my best and put it out there and I feel good. Although I have to admit it does feel really cool when people actually do read it!
It all seems quite simple and straight forward – I garden, I write, I share. But the crux of the problem is there is too much sharing going on and I couldn’t possibly cut back as it all has a place.
Strangely (and I really can’t figure this one out) but not all my friends or family are into gardening. Some don’t even have gardens! Shocking I know! But this means they only really humour me when I rabbit on excitedly about my latest antics, so I need an outlet, and have come up with 3.
My favourite one is here, because there are no constraints on me. I can share as often as I like on any topic of my choosing and it is secretly exciting to think someone on the other side of the world might read this. I spent all winter reading with a mix of envy and inspiration the summer gardening endeavours of others in the northern hemisphere and I really want to repay the favour so in the depths of winter someone can reach into my blog and briefly feel the warmth of the summer sun.
The other place I am currently sharing is much more constrained and local. I love to hang out in the virtual pages of a local gardening competition. I won it last time, so I’m not trying to win it again (gardeners are such nice friendly people), I just want to hang out with gardeners who all keep coming back to the same place for the 3rd season. Others have won before also, and some are still trying to win, but it is seasonal and the advice and the support flows freely. However to receive the support and the feedback you need to stay noticed, which means blogging regularly – at best I’m doing it every other day and will be until it ends on Christmas eve, and I also need votes – but not too many – just enough to stay noticed but not so many that it looks like I am trying to steal the prize money out of the hands of another well deserving gardener. The creative cost is quite high – you need to be seen to be using certain products and growing certain seeds to remain eligible. But it is such a nice friendly place to be that I’ll be there until the jolly man in red drops gardening gifts down my chimney!
The last place I like to be online is you tube – although I am very camera shy and tend to make funny faces by accident when filming myself. But I am so proud at what I have achieved with what was once a bare paddock that I want to show people. I also have the same northern / southern hemisphere thing going on and have a couple of subscribers anxiously waiting for the visions of summer whilst surrounded by snow.
So if you can’t find me here you could find me here or here… I’ll be around somewhere – telling someone something about my garden.
Come again soon – the sun is warming up and there is bound to be something I “just have to share”
Sarah the Gardener : o )
Sharing is certainly the best bit, especially if you get to share some of your produce with friends or family! Happy gardening 🙂
Hi There. Thanks for reading my wee blog. I think this year the sharing will start early with seedlings as in my impatience I had decided the seeds I had planted hadn’t come up so I planted more. Meanwhile the original ones have started to come up! Sarah : o )
Hi Sarah. I love your blog and love sharing your gardening experiences. We live in Australia and it is so hard to get a good result from a vege garden. There are just so many more bugs and diseases. I think with nostalgia about the gardens I had in NZ and your blog bring it all back. So please keep sharing.
Hi Sarah. Thanks so much for showing me the Yates link — I won’t be competing as I’ve already got my seeds elsewhere but looks like an awesome place to read about NZ gardening! You are a champion!
I’m also happy you share here, and really like your writing style! I can’t wait to see what unfolds in your garden this year 🙂 Thank you again!
Thanks Gwen for your kind words. I look forward to sharing your garden too. Sarah : o )
I’m reading from Texas and enjoying the heck outta your blog! 🙂
I’m so glad you are enjoying it. I have been reading yours regularly as well and its a great read. I really enjoyed you recent scorpion smooshing. I have to say though – I am so glad we live in New Zealand – it is really safe here. Nothing that can really kill you – definitely no snakes or scorpions. We happily walk through hayfield barefoot! Cheers Sarah : o )
I can’t imagine how wonderful it must feel to walk barefoot on the grass and through the hayfield! Unfortunately, besides the scorpions and snakes, we have more stinging nettle than grass. That stuff is EVIL.