Mother Earth’s Garden

An introduction to me

by Margaret on November 28th, 2006

It rained today, and the air has that lovely fresh smell that comes, someone once told me, from added ozone or something. In any case it seems a fitting day to start this, my new gardening blog. I should introduce myself. I am a 46 year old gardening enthusiast - not an expert. I am also a mother, a writer and a journalist, and for more on that aspect of my life you can look here: http://www.margaretsimons.com.au/ 

But gardening, as all enthusiasts know, is the really important thing in life. I live in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. I have two plots in the local community gardens, about a kilometre from here, and try to be as self sufficient as possible in vegetables. IN years gone by I lived in the country, kept chooks and goats and grew everything that would survive my care.

I have written a book on compost (yes!) which some people seem to see as contradictory to my so-called “serious” work on politics and public affairs. But compost and gardening are what really matters.

 Now, a few things about what this blog will NOT be. I am not an expert, so any “how to” advice will be coincidental. This is an enthusiasts blog.

My view is that in the modern world gardening is yet another area under threat from those who believe there is only one right way of doing things. Count the number of “always” and “never” words in your gardening books, and compare it to the realities of your gardening life. More significant, count the number of people who have been put off the glorious business of mucking around with growing things by the belief that they will not be good enough at it. That they will not be perfect.

So this, I hope, will be a blog of dirt, muck and growing things. I’ll tell you about the things I grow, the people at the community gardens and the things I manage to kill as well. It will be an imperfect blog, and I hope you will share your growing life with me too!

That’s it for now…more tomorrow.

(Image by john@johnwrightphotography.com.au)

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