2020 was the year of a whole lot of things. While many memories made throughout last year might fall into the “negative” category, one hip, new hobby emerged and is yielding multiple positive results. Gardening has spread like wildfire. From celebrity input to insta-worthy produce and picks, many are giving a green thumbs up and are reaping the benefits in a variety of ways.
From raised boxes with veggies to potted herbs to jazz up home-cooked cuisine, experimenting with gardening has never been more fun. Even though quarantine time offered a mighty fine opportunity to spruce up one’s property and green space, our own Elizabeth Allen had certainly taken to it BEFORE it was trendy to do so. She has been a longtime advocate of sustainability and sharing the reaping (and even SOME sowing) with her family.
While some are focusing on food to play around with in the kitchen, others might choose to go the horticultural route and freshen up and create beautiful green spaces. The following are some ideas to ponder over when choosing which road to take:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
- By integrating a garden, children can learn to appreciate where food comes from. Their diet (along with yours) improves because things are most certainly simplified.
- Pops of color always make a yard more interesting. Adding some taller tomato plants or potting some strawberries will add a nice touch to a mostly green area.
- While the initial investment might be a slight setback, growing one’s own fruits and veggies are most certainly cheaper than shopping at a grocery store each week…..and the travel to get there is less as well!
VISUALLY APPEALING
- Herbs are most definitely some of the easiest plants to grow. Snipping off some fresh foliage to freshen your food not only appeals to your taste buds but your other senses like smell!
- Bright sun is needed for basil to turn out appropriately. Thankfully, it is not a temperamental herb and can be placed just about anywhere. The smell is just the best whether outdoors or when clipped and used in the kitchen.
- Plants like rosemary can get super-high; therefore, keep it in a small pot when possible and then move to the ground or a larger container when necessary.
