…to amuse or distract me. One of the simple pleasures I enjoy is planting something and seeing the fruits of my labor. No pun intended. It doesn’t sound as poetic if you say the vegetables of my labor I guess. Starting with a seed or seedling, you can see your efforts right before you eyes, and if successful you’re rewarded with an abundance of fruits or veggies, or a dazzling array of color.
I graduated from college in 1981 BC (Before Computers) from a small private university in southern Kansas. It was simply the closest place to finish off the 20 hours or credits I had remaining to get a BS in Floriculture. Flowers, greenhouse foliage plants and aquaculture.
My father’s arrangement was as long as I went straight through university he would pay my way. Obviously I didn’t, having taken 3 years off to find myself! In hindsight the 3 years wasn’t enough, since I’m still trying to find some true contentment. In order to finish my higher education I had to borrow money from Dad, and it hurt me to do so. Hurt my pride that I needed his help.
I needed $10,000, which was no small sum back then. My current job as Head Groundskeeper at the community college paid $12,000 a year. My wife was teaching 2nd grade at the local elementary school and earned more money than I. We were somewhat poor, but happy generally.
In keeping with his true self, I had to sign a contract that said I would repay the loan within 10 years at a flat interest rate of 10% or an additional $1000. I guess he thought this would teach me a lesson, but it only made me burn down deep inside. Mom said he was being a “horse’s ass” but I signed and kept my carbon copy filed away.
Nearly all those 20 hours that remained were focused on greenhouse management and floriculture, my final major. A far cry from the degree in accounting he wanted me to have, following in his own degree. That profession was just a bore, which was a major reason I dropped out to start with. Well, that and partying.
There was a small greenhouse on campus, and I was able to secure a part time job running it, since it was a commercial business that turned a profit and more than paid for the upkeep and labor. The professor was a gay man in his 50’s and known globally, but for his work in ornithology, or the science of birds. He took the summers off to travel to the jungles of South America to bird watch basically and had numerous species named after him, his last name shows up in latin in the taxonomic name of each species he discovered.
The fact that he was gay made little to no difference, but it was the first time I was really around a gay person who was fully out, proud of who he was. Other people’s opinions meant nothing to him. I learned a lot of life lessons from the man, even though he could be a bit tough to deal with.
Greenhouse plants were his second love, and he knew a ton of useful and not-so-useful information. He was difficult as a teacher, and even more so in running the greenhouses. He entrusted myself and another student to keep the greenhouses running to perfection in his absence, a trust you had to work very hard to earn.
I found working in the greenhouses with such a diverse amount of plants was so rewarding and enjoyable, and looked forward to the hours I put in. It required babying plants from cuttings, seeds or seedlings to a plant or cut flowers that someone would want to purchase. The greenhouse was widely known for its poinsettia the most, as Dr. Max could produce the most beautiful plants, a mass of red for the Christmas season. Poinsettias and orchids, which he learned to love from his trips in the jungle.
I prefer plants to people actually and look forward each year to the frost free date to start my small gardens. Plants require your attention at the right times, but never talk back or disappoint. If something goes wrong it was a direct result of something I did or didn’t do, not the plant, but it doesn’t require other people to intervene. You could stand back and say “I did this” and be proud of what you accomplish.
Growing plants gives you a greater appreciation for life I believe. How precious and fragile it can be, and how marvelous the diversity of life that exists.
Mother Nature has always been the champion of diversity, and this is more than evident in plant life and the abundance of other creatures that rely on them for sustenance. I know I will competing with birds or squirrels to eat that strawberry when red and ripe, but that’s part of the challenge.
My wife can’t understand this fascination I have with plants, how I can spend so much time examining the each leaf and flower, and other life that abounds in a garden. but that’s alright. I just don’t tell the plants that, don’t want to hurt their feelings.
How can you look at an insect like the one below and not be fascinated? Not see the beauty in the diversity that surrounds us? Stop and smell the roses, and enjoy the moment.
