"Real" ," Gardens'" and the BX
James Waddick (Sat, 26 Jan 2008 12:05:38 PST)

Dear Friends ,
Recent post have pushed me over the edge to make some
comments on the relatedness of these topics.

There is a line between a garden, a collection, commerce and
agriculture, but all are inter-related.

If we can accept that the person who goes to a big "Wal Mart'
and buys a potted cyclamen in bloom is at least a nascent gardener,
then a "real" gardener can grow a row of a specialty collection and
still be a gardener? If that gardener has dozens of rows and sells
the production, isn't that agriculture, not horticulture? Is a cold
frame or a rock garden alone a 'garden'?

And I think it is (or should be) the aim of every 'real'
gardener to share and propagate. We all know people who buy lots of
plants, but never seem to have any extras to share Shouldn't we all
have those plants that seem to HAVE TO be divided every year or two
and given away, replanted or composted. I donate to the BX with some
regularity and get a few things from the BX, but I'd bet there's as
many or more who get lots of things from the BX and never 'produce'
extras FOR the BX.

Anyone who gardens should GROW things: they get bigger,
multiply and produce seed of offsets. We're all farmers.

And what is a "real' Garden? Most of all of our environments
are drastically unlike nature. Trees have been rampantly cut down and
reforested, landscaped reshaped by urban or rural machinery. Unless
you live 'way out', every inch of ground has been trod upon, moved
and been influenced by changes in the flora. If your back yard is
untended and overgrown, isn't it still as 'real' a garden? Weed
clogged empty lots, fields of grain and manicured 'gardens' are all
shades of the similar manipulation.

To be sure we have standards and understanding of what makes
a real garden and a real gardener. If you never have extra divisions,
seeds, or cuttings are you a 'real' gardener?

I am just throwing out these thoughts to encourage donors. I
don't mean to guilt anyone into donating to the BX. It is meant to
spread extras around without guilt.

Any rebuttals? Best Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +