TAKE 2 Why do you garden? An Interactive Forum with a Give Away

Last week's contest/drawing was a bust.

We really wondered why there were no comments, 

then discovered,  much to our chagrin,

 that everyone was being given the 'run around' and couldn't comment.

Apologies to all.  

We're trying this again with instructions at the end of the post on how to comment

 and are keeping our fingers crossed that this time it works:

 
There are as many reasons to garden

as there are gardeners.

What are your reasons?

When it comes to flowers, some folks like to

design their own containers and baskets so

they get the colors, textures, and combinations that

please them and work for their particular location.

We often lay out plants so customers can envision

what they'll look like together in the container.

Photo of Gracie's Plant Works by Cecilia Rolando

 Others are busy or are the type that will know what they like when they see it.

Finished pots and baskets appeal to them.

Photo of Gracie's Plant Works by Cecilia Rolando

Some plantings are for the enjoyment of the family in their back yard,

others are for the enjoyment of passers by, neighbors, and the home owners alike.

There are gardeners who no longer have a big yard but still want to 

enjoy a fresh tomato and a pot of luscious basil on their patio

along side the flowering annuals.

Planting hedges in lieu of fences makes good neighbors, too, 

and

oftentimes, plantings can obscure from view things you'd rather not see.

San Antonio, TX Botanical Gardens   --  Photo K. Cyriacks

This is a perfect example of an extreme challenge:

Hot, sun-baked, vertical, and little soil.

Perennial succulents and sedum to the rescue!

Some people have specific garden micro-climates that require shade-loving or 

heat-tolerant plants. Other considerations are your growing zone, areas with heavy traffic, 

kids and pets, wind exposure, areas prone to frost, and

how much care a plant requires (or does not).

Patio Snacker Cucumber in my garden last summer

As far as veg gardening is concerned, most people say they.....

...want to know where it came from and how it was grown

...think home grown tastes better

....have made a commitment to eating organic and/or local 

....they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint by growing their own

.....get better variety by growing their own

.....because their parents/grandparents gardened

.....they like being outdoors and getting exercise

How about you???

Tell us why YOU garden in the comment section below to be entered in a drawing to 

win this  butterfly feeder from Gracie's Gift shop.

At the bottom of each post is a section for comments.  Write your comment where it says "Enter your comment..."

Type in your comment.

Then, go to the arrow on the drop down menu where it says "Comment as:" and choose "Open ID)

(I have already added my name, the form will come up blank, shown in next photo.)

 

This will open a blank space for you to type in your name.  Please make it recognizable to us, so we know who wins the prize.  

There is no way for us to track down "Ely Gardener", for example.

 

Type in your name, then hit 'continue'.

Your commenter name now will show in the box.

Then hit "Publish" and you're done.  Wasn't that easy?  The good news is, once you've entered your commenter profile, 

you never have to do this again.

So, please enter your comments as to why you garden (or why you don't) to be eligible for the drawing to win this cute butterfly feeder.  After going through all of this, you've earned it!

 

We'll notify the winner via the newsletter/blog 

on February 15th, 2015.