The best "volunteer" I've found this spring! I believe this is allium schubertii, which I planted a few years ago about 6 feet away from where it is now. It has never made it along this far. A late freeze has always prevented me from seeing the gorgeous allium that this is to become.I'd like the shake the hand of the sunny woman or man who first coined the term "volunteer" in reference to weeds. A Mother Earth News article described some of the benefits of "volunteers" in the garden:
They hold top-soil, pull up water and nutrients, provide food, help control insects and more. Human volunteers (now I'm talking in classic terms) do many of the same things - essentially providing fuel to keep an organization going. Who are these volunteers? Where do they come from? Why? What is the profile of a volunteer as YOU imagine it?
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Subject A: Alison was/is my friend of the same age. She and her husband were here from England for a short period of time. While he had a work visa, she was not able to work legally in the US. Being a teacher by profession, and an intelligent, capable, and sociable person, she decided to volunteer at the Smithsonian in the Discovery Room, a hands-on learning center for children. Staying at home, knowing no one, and being idle was not her cup of Earl Grey.
Subject G: Though Grace has earned her right to sip lemonade on her sunny porch enjoying the leisure of retirement, she continues to work as a professional organizer. Despite an active social life and busy schedule balancing the lives of 5 grown sons and their large families, Grace still finds time to volunteer with two organizations - one in which she pays a weekly "friendly visit" to an elderly woman, and one in which she tutors English to speakers of other languages. Why? Because she's always felt she had something to give...that it's her responsibility to reach out.
I don't know what this is. It came up in the fall on my slope and looked too neat to be a typical weed. I've got an eyeball on this...
Subject I: I met a young woman in my Master Gardener class who mentioned that she spends her summers at the beach. When I asked which beach she vacationed at, I learned that she owns an ice cream shop that she runs from May to October. I asked what she did during the other months, and she said she mostly did volunteer stuff. Well, I didn't ask why, but my assumption is that she is accustomed to a full schedule and enjoys being productive - the ice-cream off-season, being no exception.
Subject P: I met another young woman (maybe in her late 20s?) during my first weekend volunteering at the National Arboretum. We chatted as we sat in a strawberry bed casually pulling weeds for 2 hours. Her motivation? Well, she has a Ph.D. in Nutrition, and has spent the first few years of her young career conducting research. She and her husband, another Ph.D., are waiting for a call from the Peace Corps telling them where in Southeast Asia or Africa they will be shipped off to. There, they will be able to fulfill their dream of giving back in a way that utilizes their knowledge and training. And in the meantime? Giving back in small ways right here is a great way to keep from pacing.
My other eyeball is on this. I saw several of these last year in this spot too, but pulled them all because I thought they were weeds. BUT, I vaguely recall planting some Chinese Lanterns here a few years ago that I thought just rotted away. Hmmm, flower or weed? Only time will tell.
Subject GT: I can't really pinpoint why I volunteer. I work in a high school, have a kid in preschool, and a kid in middle school. There are volunteer opportunities galore and I have been very active. A couple weeks ago, I volunteered to drive a large truck back to my work/school for the mulch sale (never mind that I'm not a truck driver). A co-worker said I had something on my forehead. When I went to wipe it off, she said it was a sign across the top that said, "sucker". Maybe I volunteer because I'm a sucker? I think I probably am a sucker to a certain extent, but ultimately, it's simply because I like to help. I'm in a helping profession, and always have been. When I hear of a need, I like to help fill it. Perhaps it's out of a genuine desire to help others, perhaps it feeds my ego, who knows. Either way, I see that similar to the flora volunteers in this post, I am stronger on my own turf due to my volunteering. I only hope that the organizations I volunteer for appreciate my contributions - it would not feel good to end up in the compost pile!
Bottom left: lettuce, garlic, broccoli, black-eyed peas, lavender. Bottom right: herbs, jalapeno, chanterais melon, pepperoncini, cayenne pepper seedlings, rhubarb, lavender. Top right: black diamond watermelon, raspberry, basil, monarda. Top left: monarda, beets, Swiss chard, asparagus, basil. In the little coldframe: tomatoes waiting for a less windy day to be planted. In the black pot next to it: an avocado pit the little one has planted, just for fun.
