A Visual Inventory Idea for Plants

Planting the seeds

Good morning! I’m working on a new project that I’m building in public called What’s Growing Here. It’s taking up almost all of my time and I can’t wait to get in launched! Would you consider subscribing to keep up with the fun?

Some plants from the garden

Do you have a story behind your garden?

I’m going to dig a little deeper - perhaps, a story about a particular plant?

Like most collectors, I know the story behind every plant in my garden. When I purchased it, where, and the background of why I chose it. Some of the plants were even gifts, so there’s that very human element to consider as well!

While thinking about the rose that I got for Mother’s day a few years ago (a Lark’s Ascending) or about a tree I planted when my daughter turned 1 ( a Japanese fullmoon maple) I began to look at the garden as not just a cohesive whole but as a series of little, glorious representations of life and history.

If I was a collector of cars, or of ceramics for the kitchen, would it be any different? Every piece important, has a story, makes the person that spent the time and energy to acquire it happy to have it in their lives. But plants are alive, and a collection of plants evolves over years. Sometimes there are deaths (I’m so sorry for you, my dear minature Rhododenrdon from the plant sale! You just didn’t like the long dry summers!) There is mainly life in a garden, exuberant life.

Do you have any plants - houseplants, roses, even a bouquet - that means something to you? I’ll be in chat over the next few days talking about this. Stay cool!