Gardens are places where we can be creative: a coloring book for adults, but we don’t have to stay within the lines.
A woman called my home last week, looking for a speaker for her club’s annual meeting next spring. Most such callers ask if I have a specific date open, or what my speakers’ fee is, but this person was more direct. “If we hire you,” she asked, “what will you do for our group?”
Well… I want to get you hooked. Yes, I’m a plant pusher. There are miracles and treasures everywhere, including in the garden.
I want you to have fun. The garden is a great place to get your creative juices flowing, and I hope you can see that laughter is growing next to the impatiens and the beans.
I aim to make people more aware of their environment, and the ability that they have to affect their surroundings for good or ill. We have the power to create a beautiful situations and surroundings in our landscapes, businesses, communities and lives.
The texture and movement of plants is as enjoyable as the colorful flowers, and thankfully, each gardener puts plants together in slightly different ways.
When speaking to all organizations my goal is to get people excited about plants and gardening. If I encourage people to grow something, on whatever level they are able to do so, I believe I’m encouraging their physical, spiritual, creative and mental well being…not a bad return for the cultivation of a few plants.
My answer to questions such as “What can you do for our group” will be based, in part, on what type of organization I’m speaking to. What I’ll do for a garden club is different than what I’ll present to an alumni gathering, a church retreat, a green industry conference or a women’s group. But those goals listed above remain the same, whether I’m speaking about practical gardening skills or using the garden as a metaphor for life.