A Grower Perspective

Acquire some plants and carefully and artistically plant them in your garden. You will reap rewards many times the value of your initial investment. Trees, shrubs, flowers fruits and vegetables are tangible, living items. You may enjoy them from the day you put them in and you will have a great sense of satisfaction by the time and effort you put into your garden. As time passes and your garden matures there will be fruit to enjoy. What could be better that harvesting apples, blueberries and raspberries from your ease of your own yard? Shade from the tree will cool you home thus lowering your electric bill and providing you comfort in warm weather. Homes with mature and properly placed trees are valued at thousands of dollars more than those with bare dirt. The price of well being, if that can be measured is, is great enhanced by the ability to gaze out at trees and lovely landscapes. Hospital stays are shorter and recovery time’s quicker if the buildings are surrounded by wild areas, or tasteful grounds. Some of the best ideas come from daydreams conjured by walks in the forest, staring off into space, or just looking out the window at the fog on the oak covered hill. The return on your investment in plants is constant and enjoyed daily.

Plants give off oxygen, clean our air and cool our cities, absorb the runoff water and keep it out of the storm drains and rivers. Prices have been put on this service and the payback is 3 to 5 times the return on an initial investment. Plants provide homes for mammals, birds, insects and butterflies, honeybees and some folks who are lucky enough to have a tree house. All these things are interconnected, as the web of life, and all are necessary to make our earth home work.

If you are one to whom gardening or physical labor are foreign things, there are many local and talented professionals to help you on all levels. There are gardeners, designers, landscape architects as well as classes at the community college to help you on your plant investments. Of course, these things cost money but if you are as careful choosing who to help you as you carefully chose your plants it will be money wisely spent. This is all part of your plant investment and returns will be forthcoming.

Plants may be purchased at the nursery near your home, given to you by friends or neighbors, started from seeds or cuttings. The next time you have a gift to give think of a blueberry bush or a bag of tulip bulbs. It’s the thing about teaching someone to fish or giving them the fish, both are good, one will just last a whole lot longer.

For those of you without a garden, donate a tree to the city in your name or the memory of a loved one, support National Parks or other wild areas, eat locally grown food. At the risk of dating myself, hug a tree (if only in your mind), look about and up and down and appreciate the garden and wild landscape all around you. Cash in on your investment with every breath you take.