A Roll in the Clay

Take This Clay and Shovel It!

I garden in clay. LOTS of it. I also live in a relatively knew home which means that the builder left about an inch of topsoil and a menagerie of buried building artifacts. Screws, nails, pop cans. You name it, it's probably there.

But through it all, over the last decade, I seem to be coming out on top. Sure, I've killed plenty of things. You ain't gardening if you ain't killing something. Fortunate for me, the living outnumber the dead.

I've spoken with so many people who, when they see my garden, say something like "I tried to grow roses years ago but I killed them and gave up." The common thread being that they chose beautiful eye candy (roses are hardly a "beginner" plant) without a working knowledge of their growing conditions. Truth is, we have to start somewhere, but if these starts are met with more failures than successes, we're more likely to throw in the trowel.

I invite you to come along with me as I share great tips, tools, plants, projects and recipes to get you growing. My goal is to inspire you. Small triumphs fuel the fire for growth and lead to great things. 

A red-spotted purple rests on my daughter's fingertips in our backyard garden. I get such a thrill from watching my children marvel at and appreciate the beauty just beyond our door.