All those years ago!

What got you going in the garden? For me it was mint!

I was out in the veggie garden on Monday evening collecting a few herbs (parsley, chives, mint, etc) for dinner. Then it happened as it has for the past 38 or so years. I grabbed the mint and as soon as the aroma of the bruised leaves hit the old nose I was immediately transported back to where, as a 10 year old boy, some, 38 years ago to and small, old farm we lived on where there was a wild strand of mint growing on the shady moist southern side of the house.

It got me thinking though how much that mint has influenced my life because without it I don’t think I would have embarked on my plant and veggie gardening adventure which has been with me ever since.

Now mint may have been the catalyst but aromatic plants in general have been the cause of my adventure continuing. Moving from mint onto the sweet smell of mass planted sweet alyssum here (Toowoomba) at carnival of flowers time. From there to discovering the lemon scented leaves of our native species of trees and shrubs with the majestic lemon scented gum being amongst my all time favourite plants. And how can I go past garlic and onions and the king of the veggie patch the Tomato bush. I swear if it didn’t destroy the bush I’d just roll around in a Tomato patch all day.

I’ve probably forgotten more smelly plants than I can remember but the few I have mentioned are the ones that put that little extra life into my gardening day. How about you? What got you started in gardening?

Cheers

Stewart.