A “Dirty Hands” Garden Club

Colocasia, "Blue Hawaii"

Colocasia, “Blue Hawaii”

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I would love to join  a “Dirty Hands” Garden Club;
One whose members know more about fertilizers
Than they do about wines…

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July 19, 2014 Container 044

A gift of Glads, from a sister gardener…

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I’d want our meetings spent wandering through nurseries,
Learning from  expert gardeners,
Or building community gardens…

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Bumblebee on Lantana

Bumblebee on Lantana

 

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Not frittered away in chit chat over hors d’oeuvres .

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Bumblebee on Basil

Bumblebee on Basil

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And all of us would be at least a little expert in something,
Glad to share what we’ve learned;

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Tiger Swallowtail on Echinacea

Tiger Swallowtail on Echinacea

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And we all would love putting our hands in the dirt
To help something grow.

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Eastern Redbud Tree seedpods

Eastern Redbud Tree seedpods

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My club would collect species, not dues;
Re-build ecosystems rather than plant ivy and  box.

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Blue dragonfly on Lantana

Blue dragonfly on Lantana

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We “dirty hands” gardeners can band together
In spirit, if not in four walls.
We can share plants and insights,
Instigate, propagate, and appreciate;

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Rooted Begonia cutting

Rooted Begonia cutting resting on a bowl of Pitcherplants

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Perhaps we can even help rehabilitate 
Some sterile lawn somewhere
Into something which nurtures beauty
And feeds souls….

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A gift of Siberian Iris, from Barbara, growing in a new section of the garden.

A gift of Siberian Iris, from Barbara, growing in a new section of the garden.

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Others can judge flowers,
Decorate homes at Christmas
And organize tours.
These things are needed, too.

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Native Hibiscus

Native Hibiscus

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(But I would rather be out in the garden;
Where cardinals preside over the morning meeting,
And  hummingbirds are our special guests for the day.
The daily agenda ranges from watering to transplanting;
From pruning to watching for turtles and dragonflies.)

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July 20, 2014 hummingbird 010

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We  wear our muddy shoes and well worn gloves with pride,
Our spades and pruners always close at hand.

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July 19, 2014 Container 051

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We converse with Nature,
And re-build the web strand by strand,
Plant by plant.

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July 20, 2014 butterflies 001

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If this invitation speaks to you,
Perhaps we can work together,
From wherever we might find ourselves
Around the globe.
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July 19, 2014 Container 023

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We can each put our hands in the dirt
and create a garden,

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July 19, 2014 Container 025

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Nurture Beauty,
And restore health and vitality to our Earth, together.

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July 19, 2014 Container 024

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Does a “Dirty Hands” Garden Club
Appeal to you?

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Words and Photos by Woodland Gnome 2014
~
Canna

Canna

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About woodlandgnome

Lifelong teacher and gardener.

12 responses to “A “Dirty Hands” Garden Club

  1. I belonged (note past tense) to an official Federated Garden Club (note capital letters which add to the seriousness) and soon found I was a square peg in a round hole. As you say, garden tours and flower judging have their place but it was not for me. Thank Goodness I found a small garden club of other like-minded gardeners who don’t take themselves so awfully seriously. We have lively and informative programs and visit garden-themed locations. Hey, I just had a great idea. Maybe next year we’ll go tour Forest Lane Botanicals!!

    • Another experience we’ve shared, Barbara. But I’ve yet to find the small group for like minded gardening addicts. So far just a loose network of us friends and neighbors who visit and share- and these are friends I treasure 😉 Forest Lane Botanical will have fall dates, Barbara- maybe an autumn field trip? Wonderful to hear from you-

      WG

  2. I love your poetry and your garden…I’ll join your Dirty Hands Club!!!! Here’s to a beautiful World!!!!

  3. It’s fun to learn from other gardeners and master gardeners!! I absolutely love your Colocasia, “Blue Hawaii”, where di you get it? I gotta have one of those 🙂

  4. That sounds heavenly Woodland Gnome! I’d love it! And beautiful pictures, as always. Blessings to you, Sarah

  5. Sign me up, girlfriend, as a lifetime member! 😉

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