In 1944 a German immigrant and his bride purchased a few acres of land and started a nursery. Working the land day and night, this couple bore four strapping sons, two of which went into other endeavors, two that continued in the business. Realizing the popularity of their burgeoning business was growing, this couple purchased 25 acres nearby and moved their nursery and their family to this location.

Today their house still stands among the remaining 10 acres and the wife, now 98 years old, still walks the grounds daily like a ruling dowager, making sure her ‘boys’ are doing their jobs correctly and all is right in the world. The husband, though gone 20 years now, is mentioned daily by customers with reverence as an honest, hard working man.

I joined this organization 10 years ago this July, coming from an 8 year stint of owning my own landscape and lawn care business. Too old and too burnt out to continue on my own, I couldn’t leave an industry that had brought me so much pleasure and enjoyment, the greens industry. So now I work the wholesale counter, dealing with landscape contractors and mostly offering up my gnarled and brutal sense of humor to those that enter the door.

I doubt, when I leave this business, that they will speak of me the same way they do of the owner, but I pity the person that has to step into my place.

January, February and March are fairly bleak in our industry, at least where I am located. Nothing to look at but concrete slabs and cobbled stone paths. An occasional tree, denuded of leaves, a sturdy evergreen or two, but for the most part a pretty desolate world. Employees staggering around bundled in Carharts and face masks, bear little resemblance to what you will see in a few months.

Then April arrives, and with April you get trucks. And trucks, and trucks, and trucks. A daily onslaught of plant goods, sometimes as many as 4,000-5,000 plants a day arrive and suddenly there are no concrete jungles, no sidewalks, no room to move. The trees are still without leaves, the shrubs are bare, but the buds are bursting and you know it won’t be long.

One day the magic arrives. You come to work and trees are flowering, shrubs are flowering, birds are singing, the sun is gloriously bright. And you take stock before the endless stream of landscapers wander in, to appreciate just where you are.

I take a few minutes to go to the back of the nursery, where we planted a tree and placed a bench, and visit the area where we spread the ashes of our fellow worker, Chris Wilson of the beautiful blue eyes, two years ago. I say a silent prayer thanking God for giving me just one more day to love the world and my place in it.

This write-off, hosted by Ed_Grover and ginahill, was to depict some aspect of gardening – be it a single plant in a window box to a 100 acre preserve, or any of the tools and accoutrements associated with gardening including books. For almost 20 years I have been personally involved in the greens industry, for approximately 40 years I have turned my hand in the soil for work and pleasure. I could find no particular article to narrow this love down to, no particular instance that I would revere above all others.

To me, landscaping is like painting. You take a blank canvas and pour your feelings into it and on it. In the end, when you walk away, you leave a part of yourself behind. A part that continues to grow and bring happiness to those that see it everyday. Some of my most peaceful times have been when I sit, covered in dirt. Of all the occupational fields I have entered, this one has by far been the most enjoyable, most peaceful, and most benefitting one.

I cannot imagine working in any other field that brings the joy of a completed job as dealing in the nursery business - unless of course, it is dealing in that 'other' nursery business. In comparison, landscaping is much like giving birth. You start with a raw product, nurture it, and watch it grow.

Landscaping and lawn care are thankless jobs to those that consider them 'just jobs'. There were many times when I owned my own business and would send out an invoice for work completed and the customer would send a check back and just make deductions. No explanations, no reasons, they didn't care if this would be the ten cents that would put food on my table or not.

Gardening is a professional business. Just as you would consult a doctor, a lawyer, a banker, etc., you should also consult a landscape professional when you decide to make major alterations to your surrounding area. Perhaps you have a vision, much like the owner I work for did, and want to see it to fruitation.

What may look bright and shiny on the printed page or on a television show, may not be what is correct for your area. Generally, most garden stores that incorporate landscape services, have a design consultation service. For a nominal fee, they will visit your property, make a small sketch, and advise you on what would be appropriate for your area.

Gardening is more than digging a hole and shoving something in the ground. You must take into consideration the slope of your land, the density of the soil, what amendments you need to correct the soil make-up, wind, rain, snow and sun and how it affects your surroundings. You need to think of growth patterns, colors, blended colors in relation to your home, fertilization, pruning methods, seasonal changes and personal tastes.

So many times I watch people roam our nursery, cell phone in hand, paying little attention of the absolute glory that surrounds them. Each tree, each shrub, each bud and flower is a personal gift from God and one we tend to take for granted.

Now I realize that I've offered little in the way of help, guidance and definitely not product review, but as you can see, I've dropped this into a nonproductive category.

At the end of the day, at the end of the project, gardening is something that is to be appreciated and something to be revered. To quote the wonderful Martina McBride:
"I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve

I have been blessed"

Thanks,
Susi

Please visit these other fine people who have washed the dirt off their hands for a few moments to contribute to this write-off:

Ginahill and ed_grover are co-hosting this Gardening Write-off to welcome in the growing season.

aashtech, AdaDavis, ariel10575, artbyjude, BadKitty, BeeCharmer, bluehawq , bluekennedy, BonnieSayers, brendametcalf, Cntaur5, Deaser26, disartain, donnamr, donnie013, dramastef, ed_grover, Elsa70, Epinionsuser, Frazzledspice, GinaHill, hadassahchana, lkvanvoorhis, jankp, jkkelley, joydrop26, jro26 , LadyCynic, LRGuis, MaryTara, Michiman1, MrCalcul8r, MrsNormanMaine, MumMumMum, Naphtalia, nifer, patsyv, Pogomom, Psychovant, purplewiz, sherrylee, skbreese, Susidee34, Vormancian, Willeftk









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