I'm interested in hearing your stories on how you got into flower gardening... I got into flower gardening by working in a greenhouse, I started out by doing Co-Op through my school, and I couldn't think of any businesses around where I could do my Co-Op at, Then I realized that we had a garden centre up the street. Big one too. So, I did my Co-Op there, for the first year, the first year I ABSOLUTELY loved it there, 2nd year even better, third year... Even BETTER! Every year gets better, I've been there now for 5 years. The best part, we have fun while working. We joke and laugh everyday while we work. There isn't a day where anybody is in a bad mood there. My boss told me the other day in these exact words - "Jordan, a couple more years with me, you will be my main man, you will take over the greenhouses for me, I'm getting too old for this sh*t. You will deliver plants, and do what I do everyday. Couple more years, and you will be the one telling people how to plant and how to grow, and what to do". Everyday I think about that, I love it! I can't stop thinking about those words! I can't wait now. That's how I got into flower gardening, greenhouse growing, customer service, etc etc. How did you get into flower gardening?
An oldie but a goodie with lots of interesting stories... you might like this topic to get background on some other members .. Why did you start gardening?
For me it was funny. In 2001 I left for S Korea, China and Taiwan. Before that, all I did was water the very few potted plants in the apartment. WHile in Taiwan I was fascinated by the flora there and I started gathering seeds, cuttings and plants and had a small "botanical garden" on the roof of the building I lived in. Back home, I overtook a small part of my parents' garden and turned it into a flower garden. That's it!
I started getting into flower gardening when I bought my first house (in New Mexico). There were just a few trees but no landscaping or flowers.
I started when my parents moved in to an house the front garden was lawned with a beautiful boarder of roses and the back garden was also lawned half way and the rest a veggie garden for my dad and it kicked me off...taking pleasure doing the front garden besides the back but I loved messing in the Veggie part with my dad.
I will blame it all on my dad....he loved roses and had our little property parcel lined with them. My mom hated them because he had to spend money on them and of course had to add new ones....He loved them so much that when he died I placed a few red and yellow ones in his hands.... He passed the love of growing things over to me... I hold that in my heart....
@waretrop, It is quite an honor that you have fond thoughts of your father's love of growing things in your heart.
Well, I just never thought of it that way....now let's think about this....my mom was not interested in growing things AT ALL... My dad on the other hand worked at a nursery, they weren't called that when he was a teen, but he was taught about glads and other bulb plants and propagating them. As I grew up he planted many things that his father shared with him. I always thought that was cool.. Now he is gone and all my other family members are gone now. So I make sure I share as much as I can with other fellow gardeners. I start many plants that if someone is visiting me and they like a certain plant I invite them to go out to my greenhouse or special potted garden. If I see what they like I just hand it to them and tell them, there are no strings attached......they are surprised.. So I guess I am a chip off the old block...sort of......either way, "I like me this way..."