There are certain things in my life that have always been at the top of ” Robbie’s Pet Peeve List” and at the top is “snobs” + “bullies” because they are hurtful + exclusive! I like the definition of “pet peeves”, something that irritates the heck out of you. Yep, that is what I consider a pet peeve. I can remember in grammar school a girl named Janet (I won’t use her last name in case she reads my blog, but I am sure she does not) and everyone picked on her horribly. I could not believe it, and I remember how angry it made me! I would watch the kids throw worms at her while we stood in line after recess. I was a tom-boy, so I would pick up a worm and throw it back and tell them to stop doing it. While I write this, I can’t imagine ever throwing a worm because to me as a gardener they are my buddies! I get upset if I hurt a worm while I am turning the soil over in my space. Oh well, I digress.
I hate what bullies do to people. To this day, I abhor bullies/snobs. I am not perfect, so this is one of my foibles. I realize that this slogan is not a serious thing, but it is how things start. People start looking down on others + then the cycle begins. Some people when they first dig their hands in the dirt start with annuals. Maybe they don’t have a lot of space, so they have to rotate their crops as I do to maintain the soil fertility. Today I grow all my annuals and some perennials all from seed, but when I first started my garden a decade ago, I had 3 school-age kids, work, and not a lot of time. I found it easier to purchase many of my annuals because I did not have the space or time to start them all from seed each season. I guess the “quote” on a shirt just rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed snobby, and I have noticed over the years that there are too many gardeners that are becoming a know-it-all!
In my opinion, there is no room for snobs in gardening. To me gardening is a hobby that should include everyone and never be a bully hobby by people wearing shirts stating “friends don’t let friends buy annuals”…wow, talk about bullying in a subtle way. To me snobbery is just a form of bullying that is accepted by our society because it is subtle and too easily overlooked!
“For a group of folks with dirt under their fingernails, gardeners have become a bunch of snobs.At least so says cultural anthropologist Jane Nadel-Klein, a Trinity College professor who is making the modern-day garden and its rubber-clogged inhabitants the subjects of her latest research.A hobby as common and universal as gardening might seem an odd province for a social scientist who until now has devoted her life’s work to documenting the demise of fishing in Scottish coastal villages.But to Nadel-Klein, an avid gardener, an examination of the garden-club lady can contribute to our understanding of humankind ….Nadel-Klein’s assessment of gardeners as elitists might sound a bit harsh. But her observation comes not from the ivory tower of academia but from visits to garden shows and garden club meetings and from years of reading garden magazines simply to indulge her own passion.” taken from article in Hartford Courant, July 2006 by Hilary Waldman.
I consider my mother, a wise woman, and one day she came for a visit and brought me a car load of plants that her garden club friends had grown. I was so excited since it was the first year I had a garden of my own. I was so touched how generous her garden friends were to give me these beautiful plants that she grinned from ear to ear and said ” Robbie haven’t you heard garden people are the most giving people, they love to share.” Well, my mother has some amazing friends that all enjoy sharing and gardening. It is not an elitist group that looks down their noses at others that grow annuals in pots!
I start from seed annual vegetables throughout my growing season for fresh eating, flowers + herbs for companion planting, for example, I grow annual marigolds, calendula, basil, nasturtiums, petunias, and borage with tomatoes because this companion planting attracts beneficial insects, protects against predators, enhances flavor, and keeps my soil healthy! I have the time to grow all my annuals now, so I don’ t need to purchase them from the local stores. I always grow extra seedlings to share especially for people I know that don’t have the time or physical ability to grow for themselves.
I prefer to think of gardeners as “giving people” and not elitist. Don’t you?
Here is the original article published in 2006 if you would like to read it
http://www.chron.com/life/gardening/article/Studying-garden-variety-snobs-1575917.php
Immunity Gardens 
Interesting how judgement sneaks its way into so many things. I love growing things from seed, but I also love that when I don’t have the time, or the seeds don’t sprout for me, I have nurseries who grew extra to “share.” How much more naked the world’s gardens would be if seed-sowing snobbery were enforced! And how many of our beautiful species would likely have been lost if not for the revenue provided by the sales of annuals to keep the nurseries afloat.
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I could not of said it any better! There are some self-seeding annuals that I purchased as annuals and have survived in my zone 5 garden. Love your term” seed-sowing snobbery” Perfect!:-)
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Agree. The best, most knowledgeable and generous gardeners I have known are also the most basic, down to earth people that garden for their love of it and not because it makes them feel superior. It naturally shows. I have also known the “snobs” that garden for who knows why because I simply cannot associate tending the earth with snobbery. Just the act of gardening should be humbling in itself. If the people that poo poo these common annuals, or any plants, would actually research the history of some of our basic flowers, they would find out that these flowers have a much more exciting past than the flower snobs do. 🙂 would love to read the conclusion of that ladies research. Should be an interesting read.
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Annie- you have a way with words! Amen to that!I am glad people responded to this post because I was wondering if I was the only person in the world that thought it was snobby-thank goodness to find out I am not alone. I tried to locate her follow up research, but I could not find it anywhere. If you do find it, let me know. I would be very interested in what she found out. We have one garden club in our area,which only allows 100 people in an area of 400,000 plus. I am not kidding! They have a cut off point-crazy!!! We do have a botanical center, so that is good. It is truly a humbling experience gardening. I am always in awe of the natural world when I spend time in my garden:-)
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Robbie, this post dredges us so many thoughts for me! First, throwing worms is not okay in my book, either! (Well, especially since the time I “flung” a slug across the fence with a stick very early one morning and heard “What the…!” when it hit a passer-by. I’m still traumatized, if that helps.) I am especially noting now that snobbery is pervasive, if it’s among gardeners, too. (I just picked up my color-spots yesterday at my local mom n’ pop nursery (shhh!). But I’ve found snobbery in so many things I’ve tried to be involved in: “Real piano teachers don’t used spinet’s”, “Real writers read ALL the Classics and love them”, “Real dog lovers would never get a dog anyplace other than a rescue.” Just makes me want to go fling slugs! Love your post 🙂
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lol…I am still laughing:-)All people fling something over a fence, but many don’t actually hit anything-lol, but your luck! You are right about snobbery it is invading too many things today. I have to watch myself because sometimes our passions can become snobbery, for example when we feel we have all the answers or need to be right all the time. I have to keep myself in check, and sometimes I make mistakes too!:-)
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” passions can become snobbery, for example when we feel we have all the answers or need to be right all the time…” All right, you’ve been talking to my husband, right? Lol!
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lol..you just make me laugh every time I read your posts:-) Laughing is good for your health like dirt:-) I think anyone married to us passionate souls tends to keep us in check!
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Oh, Mandy, your comment has me in stitches! I’ve been known to fling slugs myself, but only into the woods! 🙂
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Oh Eliza, I wish I had woods to fling stuff into! Unfortunately, I’m in a neighborhood with 6′ fences, and wetlands around us. I was actually hoping the slug would make it to the wetland, which was ridiculous since it’s about a block away. Anyway, that was a few years ago and I don’t know which neighbor the slug may have hit, but from the dirty looks around here, it could be any one of them.
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Maybe start giving every one of those dirty lookers a big smile, perhaps that would change their mood. Start a chain reaction! 😉
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Lol. I’m the friendly one 🙂
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Ego is part of the human make-up. So many of us are caught up in ego, believing that that is who we really are. Our ego often tries to protect itself and that’s when separation happens. Me/them. However, we learn from contrast. Awareness of it is the only cure. “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” That in and of itself is judgment and we are all prone to judge. Observing our behavior is a full time job! I try to remember that we are all sparks of God, all connected in the realm of the Divine, and hopefully, doing the best we can here on the earthly plane. 🙂
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amen “wise” sister! Had to put that wise in for you Eliza since you are so wise:-) Shoot I was thinking after reading all these comments and Mandy’s comment I wonder if I am being as judgmental as snobs-lol. I do tolerate them + I try to be patient, but there are just some times when I open my mouth + I just have to say something! Like I said I have my foibles + thank goodness we have a forgiving God because I would be in so much trouble!:-)
I remember when you wrote me about starting a garden club + I may yet in the future!
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LOL Good point. Discernment vs. judgment. I think when someone is getting hurt, it is important to speak up, but the rest I try to accept as is. We seldom can know the ‘Big Picture’, seeing the whole story played out to the infinite. I came up with a question to ask myself when I’m feeling judgmental: “What IF he/she/it is OKAY, just the way he/she/it is?” Warts and all, acceptance of God’s will, & all that. You’ve heard the expression: ‘What you resist, persists’? Besides, resistance is harmful to the body, so I try to avoid it as much as I can! 🙂
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Oh no! I didn’t mean to stir things up–but I have to admit, it made me think about my own judgements of others that I should think twice about. I often speak before I think and then lay awake at night regretting it. (Like “why oh why did I say ‘oh, you eat CANNED peas?”‘Argh!) (Do annuals = canned?)
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Mandy you are such a nice addition to our cyber community! You continue to make me laugh:-) I love your comments:-)
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Oh my. Eliza and Robbie, you are such sweet (and wise) people. How did I find my way to your blogs? I’m sure I’ll be kicked off before long!
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No one would ever kick you off because we are too wise to do that-lol!!! You are such a gem, we need more people like you in the world:-)
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Hush that thought girl! Now, repeat after me, “I love me, I love me, I love me…” 😉 You are worthy and perfect, just the way you are.
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I’m going to practice 🙂 Thank you, Eliza!
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I dunno Robbie. When I saw the slogan, my first thought was, ya – they don’t want you to work too hard in the garden. Make your life and the life of a friend easier by growing perennials. Although here in Illinois, fat chance with that. lol Even perennials can turn into annuals unless we safeguard them.
But yes, there is snobbery in just about every facet of interests. Gardening can be one of them, with master gardeners looking down their nose if you grow a “weed” flower vs. an orchid.
Re: worms, well I could never hurt them either because they are our only “pet” – meaning, we have a worm bin in our kitchen. I always talk to them when I’m putting food in the bin. Or I say, “time to feed wormies!” =)
I think we all know at least one or more people who were picked on in school. My older brother (4 years older than me) was picked on by a bully. He was taunted by this guy, and sometimes others, on a regular basis. I believe one of the reasons my brother was such a pacifist was because he was beat by my father. =(
One day after school, this bully was fighting with my brother, and took him down in a scissors hold. I picked up the nearest branch on the ground, hit the kid with it. He leaped up & started chasing me. I have no clue, to this day, how I outran him, but it scared the pants off me. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat. If I had been older, I would’ve wagged that stick in between him & me and told him he’d better stop his behavior or he’d see more of that. Ah well.
Life is never fair. But we have memories that stick with us, that make us better people.
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:-)I totally understand talking to worms! I will pick them up and place them in a safe spot when I am working in the dirt, so I don’t hurt them. I won’t let them sit out in the sun if I am digging around a plant and they are in my way. I understand them being pets, I use to keep them as pets in my school desk. I was a silly kid, but often I would take them back outside when we went to recess. They are such interesting creatures. I had no understanding as a kid that they were so important, but I do now!
What a brave kid you were to fight off that bully. You are right we all have known a few in our days. I could never keep my mouth shut, and I don’t understand kids today that tolerate it. I know my generation would of stood up and said something!
You are also right that good + “bad” memories are what make us better people:-) You are very wise, Julianna:-)
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I am pleased to say that I had never heard that little slogan before. If I had, my response would have been much like yours only not nearly so polite! 🙂 I too may have chucked a slug at somebody 🙂
I agree with everything you have written here and I wonder who does buy that tee shirt or tea towel or whatever that rubbish is written on……… Maybe it’s the people who don’t actually get their hands dirty – the ones who hire people to do the work for them?
Any growing that from seed that happens in my garden happens despite me not because of me. I happily pay the extra to purchase seedlings or potted plants be they annuals or perennials simply because the majority of my time is spent in other pursuits. I may not have a big garden any more, and I may be a novice ‘tiny gardener’ but I am still a person who grows stuff and that makes me a gardener.
The other point I want to add in – to remind myself really – is that when I hear something I don’t like or approve of and I can do nothing about it, I choose to turn my back on that part of the world and place my attention where I see the opposite happening. Where we place our attention most is what we attract more of into our lives.
Generosity and sharing and love and respect for the natural world sings it’s songs on your blog all the time Robbie. No-one would dream of sending you a tee shirt with a saying like that on it 🙂
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Pauline, boy oh boy, if they did send me a t-shirt with that on it, it would be in the trash! I have a sense of humor, but I did not find it funny. You are right gardening is for everyone + in whatever way a person can make it happen, and with whatever space they can work with. I have done it differently all my life. I can remember being in college, and we had plots out back of the housing. I loved that little 10×10 space. I was in my early 20’s and just spreading my wings. I did not know much, but all of us out there had a blast helping each other. No one put anyone down we were all glad to be outside growing in our little 10×10 spot.
I feel you are right, if we can’t do anything about it we can “choose to turn our back” and do what we need to do. My favorite is the
“serenity prayer”
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
As I get older I am finding I am a lot wiser-one of the joys of aging-lol!!!!:-)
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Yes indeedy Robbie! Is it supposed to be funny? I did not think it was either – I forgot to say that I thought the author of the article was spot on too as well as everything you said. Putting down by inference is bullying.
I love that prayer too.
I think wisdom happens despite me – it’s one benefit of having the long view back 🙂
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🙂 I was thinking after I made that comment how “wisdom is nice”, but there is a lot that goes south with the body that I am not enjoying! lol
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Glad to hear you don’t throw worms any more. I have been known to throw snails over the fence (not at people) but I gave up when it dawned on me that they just crawl back.
Annual snobs are just showing their ignorance, there are some very refined annuals out there. Every garden needs a few annuals to take it through into Autumn.
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Chloris -I think this “snail throwing” is more common than “worm throwing” among us gardeners:-) I bet they prefer the beer than being flung into the air! I agree, I have a lot of HHA + HA in my yard that I would dearly miss:-)
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Two of my pet peeves too Robbie. And I would hate to see that on a tee-shirt. I have known alot of women who belong to garden clubs, show their gardens, and yes – their gardens are status symbols and honestly, I cannot bear their company too long – snobbishness is so tedious to see and hear. But I have friends who garden because they love to garden and they share plants and seeds generously – annuals or not! Those people are special people.
Beautiful photos once again and I know you will be busy now for Spring, planning and nurturing wee seedlings in preparation for summer….I will be pleased to see your garden grow while I am indoors by the fire.
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Wendy I could never imagine you being a “snob” to anyone. You are too kind + generous:-) I enjoyed your post when you had all the “workers/guys from Vanuatu” over to hang out in your beautiful space. Yes, it was the coldest March 3rd in 150 yrs earlier this week, but today it is in the 20’s and later this week possibly upper 30’s!!!! Spring is in 3 weeks, so it will be a late spring, but it will be above freezing! When we are in summer what is your weather like, snow?
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Thank you Wendy for noticing my attempts to be creative with photos, I am exploring what I can do. I use elements, layering + mixing that I had too many colors my program said it would slow my computer down-lol I wish I enjoyed quilt making it would be fun to make a quilt-collage out of photos!
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Wouldn’t it!? Really lovely work 🙂
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If you like to sew/quilt they are doing some amazing things with photos! By the fire + quilting, after you rest from all this harvesting!
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Bully gardeners, like other types of bullies, are small inside, that’s why they act bigger than they really are. Generally bullies have low self-esteem. That’s my humble opinion from personal experience. I don’t consider myself an expert on bullies, I’ve just had/have my fair share of dealing with they’re tactics. Perennials and annuals both play an important role in gardening. When I ran my plant business in Washington state, I designed and planted over 30 gardens on my property. I included all sorts of plants. I especially enjoyed the tours of my gardens and encouraging people to touch, taste and smell my plants. Some were very surprised when I started munching on rose petal. Bullies will not appreciate the beauty of co-creating with non-bullies.
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Diversity is the cornerstone of a great garden of life:-) I agree with your definition of a bully. It does seem silly that people have to learn about diversity + that a garden is a form of personal expression. It seems like common sense to me, but we don’t all think alike. What an interesting experience you had with 30 gardens + tours:-)A great way to educate others to what really makes a great garden.
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“Diversity is the cornerstone of a great garden of life.” Beautiful and worth sharing, do you mind if I post this on my other social sites?
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I don’t mind. I believe in diversity of plant life and human life:-)
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Yes it “does seem silly that people have to learn about diversity”…. it reminds me of one of my gardens…I called the tea garden. I had built it over an alfalfa field but since semi-successfully removing the alfalfa, other weeds invaded the perimeters of my herb garden. While researching eradication methods I came across information about how some weeds are good food for some insects and decided to keep those weeds in that particular area to attract “beneficial” insects. Diversity is critical to the balance and nature of reality.
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I agree some plants that are native people consider weeds, but they are needed by native pollinators. This summer I am starting a lot of natives that are mingled throughout our garden with food+ herbs. I need to make sure I am taking care of the natives. You have had much larger gardens than I have on my small site. We have about a little less than 1/3 of an acre and that includes our home, garage, and driveway. You must of really enjoyed have a variety of space:-) A lot to explore!
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“a garden is a form of personal expression” …. yes indeed it is. It’s like life itself and no two minds think alike. It reminds me of an old obsession of mine. I was determined that my gardens were going to look like something right out of Better Homes and Gardens, a do-it-yourself picture perfect Garden of Eden. I subscribed to several gardening magazines in a effort to do so. But what ended up happening is I created originals, not copies. Gardens are a great way to express oneself in very personal ways.
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You are so right!I use to subscribe to all those magazines when I first started my space, but I have found like you that it often does become my own vision of what I liked about bits and pieces of many gardens that I have admired. It is an art form, I do believe if you become a part of your garden, and it becomes a part of you it is an expression of who you are:-)
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Yes having a plant business awesome! I loved it. It gave me a chance to make new friends. People from all over the United States traveled to see my gardens. I lived about 20-minutes outside of Spokane, Washington. One couple told me that they drove around looking for out-of-the-way gardens and shops like mine, that it was the only adventure they had in their lives. I cannot imagine a world without plants. I love the photos of gardens that you post and I look forward to visiting your blog more frequently.
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that is one of the nicest compliments I have had from a fellow gardener/professional:-) The place you had your gardens must of been spectacular! Your vistas with your many gardens must of been incredible:-) I have a city lot that I have to work around and create a mood to take people away from the every day life in the city. It is a learning experience, but I love the challenge:-) What a great feeling you must of had to know people came to “see” your gardens!
I am starting from seed this year many new natives and interesting veggies. herbs + flowers that I will be mixing and mingling. I am excited to photograph them this summer, spend time observing + of course eating! If we could just get this snow out of here in our zone 5 this year!!!
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Hi Robbie! Due to an pile up of work I’m running late…will respond in more depth ASAP!!! Tone :)))
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🙂
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Weeds are defined as “invasive”. Why not keep them under control like we do with our flowers in our flower beds
and borders? Just a thought. Speaking of pollinators, I designed what I called “The Butterfly Bed”. It contained
bright, colorful flowers to attract butterflies from high up. Though I did have my share of caterpillars which
is okay except when they chew huge wholes in leaves.
Natives are great for the garden! I did the same. There are so many great zone 5 plants. I don’t garden now
(wish I did) but when I did, it was in Washington state and my zone was 5 as well. Yeah it’s a shorter growing
season and that can be challenging for sure. That’s why I started many plants early inside the greenhouse.
Many times I ordered 3-year-old plants from a nursery in Oregon (can’t recall the name of it now). Got my
seeds mostly from Seed Savers to help save open-polinated types. It was quite the undertaking planting all
my gardens, not to mention irrigating, feeding, weeding, transplanting, harvesting, etc. I would have traded
it all for 1/3 of an acre believe me! lol Good for you! It’s better to have a more manageable space for
gardens. I could have bought an angel statue or two instead of the dump truck sized piles of soil and bark.
What types of herbs are you growing? Have you ever tried chocolate or orange mint? If you do, make sure to
keep them seperated unless you want to end up with chocolate-orange mint. lol
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I know what you mean by “invasive”, but I have learned over the years I just bend down and pluck it out problem solved-lol. I LOVE chocolate mint. When I was visiting my parents, my mother gave me a “clump” her friend gave her that she used in a chocolate dessert. I fell in love with that herb and make an herbal tea with it during the summer. I had to give up caffeine about 5 years ago, and it is one of the summer herbal teas I drink every day! I have it in my rock garden( aka herb garden now-lol) which is near my kitchen. The previous owner filled the little courtyard with rocks, thick plastic, and heavy clay! I had some orange mint and I loved the smell. I have lemon thyme(tea), lavender( which is a hit and miss here in zone 5 except munstead), lemon balm(tea), lovage,oregano,purple sage, monarda red + purples, borage( pest control), cilantro, parsley, parcel, variety of basils,chives,golden marguerite, dill,hyssop, and shiso. I don’t have a lot of space, so I use to grow quite a bit more until I decided just to develop those that I use daily.
I often want more space, but then I realize I hardly can take care of my space in the city with house, garage + driveway. I have reduced my grass, so I have enough gardens to work on my lot, but sometimes I do dream about more space until I think about how much work it would actually be, so I just admire them in magazines-lol:-)
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You have wonderful plants growing over there Robbie!!! Lucky you. 🙂 And now that Spring’s on the way I imagine you’ll be very busy Good for you for makin’ your own tea. I used to make tea from my herb gardens as well. Suntea is my favorite, especially with fresh plants from the garden. 🙂 Nummy!
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Here I am taking a Master Gardener class and becoming quite intrigued with annuals – something that I try not to plant too much of because of expense. But now I want to add more to my garden – and you are right, growing from seed is a way to achieve that. I never ever considered annuals or any form of gardening to be “lowly.” I love all gardens – the garden is not really for the onlooker – the garden is for the gardener. They all should be different and personal and pleasing to the gardener above all! I think I encounter snobbery more than bullying but so far not in gardening. I still believe that gardeners are an open and sharing bunch. I hope I always see and believe this. I saw a cute sign in a presentation yesterday that said “Gardeners know all the dirt” and it made me chuckle. I’ll stick with that.
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Kathy-I am so excited you are taking Master Gardener Classes since we all will benefit from all that you learn! Do share what you learn this year on your beautiful blog:-) I love the quote “Gardeners know all the dirt” that is a shirt I would wear for sure-love it!!!! I agree when you learn to grow from seed the depth of what you can grow is just HUGE! I start annuals + perennials mostly from seed now since it is more economical. If you don’t have indoor lights there are many you can just throw the seed out in the garden early spring and by mid summer have a blooming garden. I agree with you the garden is for the gardener + it is an expression of whom they are most often. I believe for the most part the majority of gardeners are “giving” ,but there are those that behave like pesticides at time! lol
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“I prefer to think of gardeners as “giving people” and not elitist. Don’t you?”
Absolutely!
I had a similar moment earlier last year when someone had been sneaking into the “community garden” and taking vegetables. The “community garden” folk were so angry about it! They installed security and ranted. And, while I’m not suggesting that they had been trespassed, I’m suggesting that the person who was taking the vegetables was not damaging the plants and carefully snipping a bit here and there.
I’m attempting to show them other designs for inspiration. Maybe the small space can create enough abundance that they can actually share with the community.
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Sarah-that is a great attitude! I was thinking as I read your comment maybe they were in need of food. That is why I always grow WAY more than I personally need:-) the “caution” with the plants sounds like they were trying to respect the space, but wanted to try it. I guess they could of found out and invited them to help them in the garden.
We had an urban farm here in the city on a school they tore down decades ago , so the growing area was amazing. The lady that started the farm left space for the kids to play, but they kept taking her watermelon. She planted a lot more than she could possibly need, so she was happy they were at least eating healthy. I guess when we put our food in our front yards/community gardens we have to expect people to snip here and there:-) She did encourage the neighborhood around the site to grow on her farm which helped them learn to grow and watch the site for her when she was away. It seemed to work for her in that space. She had some amazing food growing!!! I don’t have a lot of space, but she does in that urban farm and the soil where the property stood vacant for decades( area around the previous building) use to be was rich + fertile.
I think your idea of sharing new designs is perfect!Maybe they could invite some of the people in the area around the site to grow with them:-) Some people are just too afraid to approach because they may think us gardeners are not friendly, but we are!!!
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If you don’t buy annuals, how are you supposed to warn your neighbors that you’re a witch without lots and lots and lots of red geraniums?
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🙂 I guess that would be a problem-lol
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What a Great post Robbie! Not only for your stand against bullying in any form but also for your comments about how elitist gardeners can become. I grow annuals every year, wether I buy them or start them from seed as I get better at it. I can’t imagine a garden without annuals. It’s just silly. But that’s my bias I guess. I’m a bit of a snob in some ways because I have a “Collection” of special plants that I dearly love. If that makes me a snob it’s my love of the plants that makes me this way. I have plenty of “common” plants in with my special ones too, and together they create this garden of many facets. I think you do that too it seems like. I’m always so pleased to read your posts because they often cover a variety of subjects and relate them to gardening and how it all fits together. I try to do that too so I feel a kindred spirit with you. Thanks for writing this and standing up against bullying and elitism in gardeners. We need more people like you doing that. Good for you! 😉
Peace and thanks,
Steve
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awww steve it is so good to know there are “others” out there that feel the same way we do…I have found a family in our over the fence cyber gardens..we all share a bond, but we also enjoy our uniqueness…our spirits are on the same page, and as we all grow through our own seasonal gardens, we grow a family of “kindred spirits” in cyber space. You do the same, you connect gardening to life and really isn’t that what it is all about? I remember how you wrote about how sad you became not being able to dig in the dirt or having your own garden…I wake up every day and feel truly blessed that I have a garden I can create in:-)
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Don’t know how I missed this post but just catching up now!!! Robbie, thanks for raising (growing?) these issues. I never thought of snobbery as a kind of bullying but you are so right. And don’t get me started on snobbery in food. I am trying to be nice since you set such a great example here. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!!
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I always felt what does someone have to be snotty about-lol…really gardening? Food? lol
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