Prompt #1: Write about your First Plant
To be honest I don't remember my first plant. I'm sure it was most likely a bean seed planted in a little styrofoam cup in Kindergarten or something like that. I do remember one of my first experiments with gardening though.
When I was growing up we had a lamp post out in front of the house. I always thought it would look really nice with flowers planted around its base. One year my mom consented to let me dig up the grass in that area and plant some flowers. I had zero idea what I was doing. I think I bought the flowers at Walmart and just picked something that I thought was pretty, without knowing whether it needed shade or sun or anything else about it.
The flowers didn't last very long and soon died. We let the grass grow back over that spot and I didn't try experimenting in the yard again. But my fascination with plants and growing things didn't die. It only spurred my resolve that one day I would grow something again.
In high school my best friends parents were somewhat of amateur gardeners and their yard was lovely all the time. One of my friends chores was weeding the garden. I happily helped her with her weeding chore whenever we thought we could get away with it. I loved it!! One time her mother invited me to stay while they snipped beans, saying I didn't have to help with the snipping. Little did she know that sitting there snipping garden produce was actually more fun for me than movie night or a pizza party. I was thrilled!
In college I skipped classes all the time to sneak into the science building where there was a greenhouse on the roof. The sign on the door said restricted, but I would frequently tip toe in there just to get a peek at what they were currently growing. I wanted to be a botanist. I even declared botany as my major. But I was completely clueless, and didn't follow through with it thinking that I would never do well having no previous plant experience. I let my intimidated 19 year old freshman fears take me in a different direction.
I eventually got my degree in history and it was awesome. I'm glad I didn't turn plants into a career as work sometimes has the ability to suck the life out of something you love. Now planting things is just for fun and I like it that way.
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