shardsofblue's Profile

I'm a gen-Yer, and I've recently started gardening due to getting my own house. Here in Vegas, a local demonstration garden offers free weekend classes on everything from gardening in the desert to setting up an irrigation system. This has been HUGELY helpful, and I think more of that would help reduce the barrier to entry for those of us who didn't grow up learning to garden.

Someone up above noted that we want "to be gardeners, not farmers," and for me that hits the nail on the head. I'm interested in growing a few veggies for fun, but most of what I want to do is make things look pretty -- yet I see such a focus on growing foods that it can be frustrating to find information about ornamentals, or even which veggies look nice while they're growing.

Another person mentioned the price of potting soil, which I also agree with 100%. Buying pots and soil is a huge investment if you don't have your own good dirt to work with, and something many of us 20-somethings can't afford.

Then of course there are the absurd knick-knack garden decorations. I have no more interest in filling my yard with that stuff than I do of filling my house with Cupie dolls.

Finally, gardening isn't presented as something that is fun, or something that can be fitted into a busy lifestyle.