My Neighbor's Garden - Join me!!

Since I have created http://www.greenishthumb.net/, I have been thrilled to find an extremely prolific garden blogging community. Never would I imagine the many others in cyberspace with similar passions.

I am going to begin a series of posts called "My Neighbor's Garden". In these posts, I will leave the comfort and safety of the chair in front of my computer and travel on foot to actually knock on doors of neighbors with great gardens I would like to learn more about. If the gardener is interested and willing, I will take photos and have a chit chat about his/her garden. The interview and photos will be posted here. I would like you to join me in this project! For me, there are many purposes and benefits...

To build relationships with people in real life. There are gardeners in your actual community who may think similarly, who have ideas to share, who have their own garden philosophies, and it would be community building to get to know them. To share the love. Gardening is often a solitary activity - at least the day to day part of it, and what joy for your neighbor to know that you're out there too, also soaking up the sun, analyzing the soil, weeding, watering, mulching, planting, etc. To pump people up. Wouldn't you be thrilled if someone knocked on your door and told you they liked your garden so much they wanted to photograph it and talk with you about it? To help your neighbor share the love. Through your post on your blog, you'll be able to give your neighbor a link that he/she can share with family and friends anywhere. You may not be a famous person with a famous website, but for someone to say his/her garden is on the Internet may be very cool for lots of people. What a great gift for your neighbor! To build relationships with others in cyberspace. What garden blogger wouldn't want to see more pictures of real people and their real gardens? We all want to see what's going on in different communities in different parts of the world. I live in the 'burbs and I love to see rural vegetable gardens. I also love an urban balcony garden. We want to know what you're doing and what you're posting about.

I am willing to bet that this project will be somewhat nerve wracking. However, we know that gardeners tend to be approachable, kind, and sharing people. I also bet this project will yield unpredictable results. It's unlikely, but possible that you'll get a "No, you're crazy, I'm paranoid and don't want wackos to fall in love with my garden and start stalking me". But you might also begin a relationship that will last a lifetime. You may find a friend to trade bulbs or swap seeds with. You may find someone who is willing to tend to your garden while you're away on vacation. The possibilities are limitless.

Having said all this, let's now go forth with pen, paper, and camera in hand. You know that person down the street with the really pretty garden you look at each time you drive by? Start at that house. Share your blog site with them. Come up with some standard questions about gardening (What is your favorite vegetable or perennial to grow?), but also some sillier ones (Do you talk to your plants? If so, what do you say?). Let them know how much you love gardening and begin the conversation. Let's work up the nerve together and go into the community to talk with people. I'll meet you here next time with an update. Post a link to your blog here, leave your thoughts, and check back. I got a few gardens in mind in my own neighborhood - will let you know how it goes...