Tanya Anderson - A Womans Garden: Grow Beautiful Plants and Make Useful Things

Grow Beautiful Plants and Make Useful Things

TANYA ANDERSON

of Lovely Greens

PLANTS FOR HOME, HEALTH, AND CREATIVITY

I N A WORLD made uncertain by changing politics and identity, you may ask, What is a womans garden? It can take many forms, but as our lives become more boxed in and the environment more threatened, many of us are growing plants not just for decoration or practicality but for well-being. A womans garden is a living expression of creativity filled with plants that can improve our lives. Its a place where flowers can flourish alongside weeds and where we can use what we grow to create meaningful connections. Its a place to nurture, grow, and make.

If theres one thing that all women have in common, its strength. It can be loud and powerful or quiet and resilient. For those of us with gardens, that strength can be reflected in and drawn from our growing spaces. We learn that no year or season is the same and that every harvest is a gift rather than a given.

I think this is why so many of us choose to use organic gardening principles. As we observe and learn more about natural systems, we concede that slugs have their place and that sometimes the weathers just not on our side. Our gardens live in a wider world, and the best we can do is try to understand the challenges and try not to harm with our solutions. Because of how the world is changing, that balance between connection and resourcefulness is becoming increasingly important.

The average space that we have to grow a garden is shrinking. Its being sacrificed as developers try to cram us in closer and closer together. Our response has been to adapt, and so, as our growing spaces decrease, the diversity of plants we grow is actually on the up. Were becoming far more interested in those that serve multiple purposesto look good, feed wildlife, produce flowers, and grow a crop. Useful plants are beginning to shine.

Yet, without putting on rose-tinted glasses, the fact is that plant diversity was greater in the past. Weve lost wildflower meadows, woodlands, prairies, jungles, potential medicines, and heritage crops. It is an unbelievably overwhelming challenge for any of us to find a clear-cut solution for the world. But what we can do is create change in our gardens. Whether its on a rooftop or in a suburban backyard, each of us can make gardening choices that support our values. Thats part of what makes a womans garden: the spirit of nurture and imagination coming together through plants.

Youre about to be introduced to an assembly of plants, and also to eight inspiring gardeners. They come from different countries and backgrounds; they are artisans, homemakers, businesswomen, and scientists. They are real women with real gardens, and what they all have in common is a fascination for the ways plants can enrich our health and home. This book is a peek into a personal space, and youll see their gardens and what they grow and make from them.

In June, the garden bursts into life with herbs and edible crops.

Its inspiring to see what others are doing, but theres another aspect to a womans garden that we can overlook because we spend so much time working alone in them. Its the connection that gardening can give us to other women, both friends and family. It's the passing of skills and ideas that may wane in trendiness but are kept alive through community.

I asked each person in this book who inspired them to start gardening in the first place. The answer was almost universal, and it wasnt someone famousit was mothers and grandmothers and sometimes another family member. Almost none of us appreciated it at the time, and we had to weed and cut the grass when wed much rather be hanging out with our friends. The memory of picking herbs or pulling up carrots has stayed with us, though, and no matter how far weve gone, weve all returned to those roots.

Theres a sisterhood in the passing of plant traditions. It could be from one generation to the next or between friends who trade cuttings and spare plants. Ive seen it happen through social media, at seed swaps, and in speaking with every woman who has helped me to write this book. I feel inspired by those connections and hope that the idea of a womans garden can help create even more.

Consider the chapters ahead less of a how-to gardening guide and more of an introduction to the possibilities of plants. The creative ideas that accompany each chapter are there to show how versatile they can be, and as you read, please also keep a few things in mind.

Lavender, thyme, sage, and rosemary have many uses in food, medicine, and cleaning.

Using plants may involve drying, pulsing, infusing, or cooking them.

MANY USEFUL PLANTS HAVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES. They can be food, medicine, dye, aromatherapy, and pollinator attractants all-in-one. Some of them even serve purposes important to ornamental gardens having beautiful shape or form or providing privacy. If youre looking to experiment, begin with plants that have more than one use.

THE OVERFORAGING OF WILD PLANTS IS A PROBLEM, AND MANY SPECIES ARE THREATENED. When possible, grow plants for yourself rather than removing them from nature. Weeds that make their way into your garden are fair game, as are plants considered as invasive species in your region. Also, dont allow nonnative plants to escape your garden since they can become a problem to native flora and fauna.

USEFUL PLANTS CAN FIT INTO ANY GARDEN. You may have a well-established growing space and can tuck new plants into existing beds. You may also have only a small square of grass at the front of the house, or no garden at all. No matter your limitations, or lack thereof, you can cleverly add many useful plants to window boxes, containers, garden beds, greenhouses, and polytunnels. Youll also notice that many of the gardens featured in this book are in a cottage garden style, loose and natural yet filled with as many plants and features as possible. Its a message that even if youre short on space, you shouldnt be afraid to plant things a little closer to each other than recommended. Not everything will work, but some things will, and youll learn with time.