I was listening to "On Point" on my way to work this afternoon and the guest was Robert Pogue Harrison, who has just written a book Gardens: An Essay on the Human Condition.
The Bahai Gardens in Haifi
The way they talked about gardens and gardening...so ecstatic, so intriguing, so tranquil but so exciting. Anyway, it almost made me want my own. Almost...But then I remembered I live in an apartment. I'm sure I could ask my landlord if I could use a patch of the front yard, the one of to the side. For real though, I'm not the gardening type. I love all my neighbor's work and what my mom does. My mom is very good at it and does it with such ease. But, I have a bit of a black thumb. Perhaps if I made a concerted effort, it wouldn't be so bad. I tend to space out and not notice things though. Like when I stayed in Weymouth with Daisy during Memorial Day weekend and my mom came home on Monday evening and pointed to the pink flower plant hanging to the side of the door. Only when she pointed it out, it was more brown than pink. Even though I walked by it all weekend long, I never noticed it!
So, instead of a garden, I think I will start small and get some plants for the house. If they're not dead by this time next year and I'm still in West Roxbury, maybe I'll think about it. In the meantime, I always have my walks around the neighborhood and Weymouth. And, of course, I'll be getting the book to read as well.