The Transformed Reluctant Gardener: peekskill

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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Hollyhocks Rule!

Thomas Leigh, architect extraordinare from Peekskill, NY has proven his green thumb creds by growing gorgeous hollyhocks in patio pots where car exhaust is an almost constant. Kudos!

Discovering my green thumb DNA

"You want me to pull weeds?"

Shamefully, the teenage me uttered those words more than once. Anything involving dirt, heat and especially bugs turned me into a big whining wienie.

Green thumbery (if there is such as word) flows in my DNA.

My grandfather's Florida garden, full of kale and kohlrabi, thrived until he died at 90. During upstate New York's summers, my parents worked a 1/2-acre plot - abundant with tomatoes and beans, lettuce and beets.

Then four years ago, I had my first backyard.

Spring's early buds on my peach, apricot and orange trees unleashed my need to plant seeds - in the ground, pots (large and small) and tree baskets and containers along the fence.

Now during every season, something is growing.

Winter and spring has Swiss Chard and fennel, kale and herbs like rosemary and oregano. The full summer sun shines down upon a variety of tomatoes, squashes and eggplants. Herbs from basil to lemon balm and thyme to sage deliver added depths of flavor.

In late October's cool breezes, green tomatoes are harvested as are cabbages.

Gardening feeds me well and calms my soul.
The transformation is complete.