Growing Up

I don't consider myself as someone who has a green thumb (though I can grow things now). The first time I tried to keep a plants alive, I was in my early 20s. They were herbs, in their original tiny pots, and I don't know exactly what I did wrong, but I would say it would a combination of overwatering them, underwatering them, and not enough sunlight. It's safe to assume those herbs were dead within a month. 

My next attempt at gardening wouldn't happen until my 30s, where I managed to successfully keep some herbs and aloe vera alive on my balcony. I had a strawberry plant that produced like four tiny strawberries in total, and my spinach and rocket got eaten by the local possum. I was incredibly proud that I was able to grow a few strawberries, despite how tiny they were. It was proof I had the patience to look after plants without forgetting about them or unintentionally killing them with too much love. 

For my birthday this year I asked for some plants, so I could make up a few pots with herbs and flowers. My partner made me a vegie garden. He did most of the hard work of setting it up. Planting everything in was the easy part. 

Since my mental health has been improving I've gotten into gardening. Not because I specifically love gardening. I don't. I find it tedious in general, but having a garden I have to tend to, to keep alive, and watch flowers bloom and herbs and vegies grow, as well as the mandatory strawberry plant, helps me get out of the house on bad days. 

This week I've been sick with a cold. Everyt time (since the pandemic) I get sick, I isolate, and I really feel that isolation. So this week, it's been me at home with a snotty toddler, curled up on the couch watching kids shows. And every afternoon when it's cooled down a bit (Aussie summer) I take him outside to run around while I water the vegie garden and see how everything is doing. 

When I'm out there it's like I can breathe better. My toddler isn't chucking a tantrum and I'm not forced to listen to the abc's on repeat. It's a little bit of peace and quiet for my brain and my toddler loves it when I spray him with the hose, so fun all round. 

It makes me so happy seeing the colourful flowers I planted and watching the snowpeas, spring onions, and strawberries slowly grow. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to eat something I grew myself, and there is a special kind of joy in that.