A Survey

I hope I'm not coming across as nosey. I've lurked and occasionally posted on the other forum. I got this idea on a Labrador forum where instead of posting pictures of their dogs the group posted pictures of themselves. I'm not going that far. My question is.................how old are you and when did you realize you have an obsession?

Me. I'm 50 and my true obsession started three years ago when my husband tore out our hedges in the front yard. We planted two pine trees 15 years ago and our north facing front now gets virtually no sun. Hedges croaked as does most everything I plant there........but I never stop trying. You know your obsessed when you buy plants and have no clue where to put them! Thats me.

What obsession? I'm not obsessed. I just like buying plants. Going to nurseries and buying more plants, and then some more. I've been doing this for about 40 years of my 61. :-)

I'm 45 and have gardened since I can remember. My mom is a wonderful gardener and lives in her yard. She comes over to mine and 'releases' some of my plants, via cuttings and seeds, so they can move to Scottsdale! LOL!
We have lived here for 21 years and have spent most of that time doing something in the yard. A little here, a little there, something dies or we see something that *must* live at our house and the moving / shovel pruning / sharing with friends begins!
So- I know nothing about obsessions, this is just a normal way of life, isn't it??? Oh Gawd, do you mean this isn't normal.... (Thank heavens my DH shares the love of yard work or I would have to.... ahem- nothing! LOL!)

Susie
Hey- come to the Roundup and everyone can see each other in person! They are lots of fun!

I'm 47 on Monday :) And I have had plants since I was about 8, my room was crammed full of them. One of my earliest memories is asking my Dad if I could have a fern. When I was little I never dreamed of a huge wedding, family or career. I always dreamed of having the coolest yard on the block ;)

I'm 59 on the 13th
Ugh. Love it.
My mom always gardened, Irises, roses, citrus and African Violets. Digging in the dirt is a NECESSITY pour moi. I must have it. I must. I need to dig in the dirt, I like to MAKE dirt, compost. I Make the Dirt my plants grow in . I love to make dirt. I think I like making dirt more than I like growing plants,,,,, Oh I'm carrying on . excuse moi.

Let's just say I'm 52. I'm not. My family got tired of trying to remember how old we all are each year so we each picked a number we can live with. My husband is two years older than me and my sister is two years older than him. My mom has been celebrating her 75th birthday for a decade now. So much easier, don't you think?

I'm not obsessed with plants at all. Never thought much about them till moving to Phoenix. In Hawaii I always took the flowers and greenery for granted. I am, however, obsessed with animals and am trying to learn enough about plants to provide a little habitat for native birds, insects, bunnies etc.

42 and it took over my every other waking thought by the time I was 30. I also suffer? from the compost obsession. Including a worm bin. I miss the gist of most TV and movies because I'm looking at the landscaping in the background. I am a very sick woman.

I'm 41 and my plant addiction really started about 4 years ago. I think it would have started earlier, but having young 'uns took up most of my time. Now that their alittle older, I'm finding I have more time on my hands. Gotta keep busy! I started with fruit-producing plants, moved on to veggies and now it's roses. Lovin' it!!
-June

I am 37 and started about 2-3 years ago after visiting a neighbor and finding her yard so peaceful. I am now addicted. I moved us to an acre because there was not enough room for our animals and growing plant habit. I am still learning I did not grow up with anyone who even cared for plants but I am instilling the love of them in my children.

I was interested in plants as a girl, but my dad wasn't particularly interested in encouraging such non productive plant activities. Plants were supposed to produce food in some way and I wanted to grow flowers. Wasn't really exposed to plants until I was in my early 20's. And it just occured to me that hubby is to blame for all this! He is the one who really introduced me to plants, now I have a reply for every time he asks where some plant is supposed to go- I can remind him my obsession is all his fault! Won't he be surprised :-)

Didn't really become obsessed until about a year and a half ago when I discovered the wonders of the microclimate....aaahhhhh....the microclimate. Sorry, just felt like it beared repeating.

Fact is, I become obsessed with everything that interests me. Have to find out everything I can and get all the cool things to go with it. You should see all the cross stitching stuff I have, and don't get me started on scrollsawing!

Oh, I'm 38- am I the only one who has to think about it? So I guess that makes me the young'n, huh?

Probably more than anyone needed to know, but oh well! :-)

Lynn

Oops! Marie posted while I was typing- she's the young'n, yea!

I'm 32, and have been seriously addicted for about 5 years. I had no chance at a plant-free life, though. My mother and both of my grandmothers are plant addicts too (well, the Grandmas are gone now, but I can guarantee they have the best rose gardens in the afterlife).

I wasn't into plants much when I was young, mostly because I would watch my mom struggle to plant under the shade of two huge Ailanthus trees. I should have known what was coming, because in college, my little basement window had about 30 little houseplants stuffed onto the ledge. Between me and my roommate, we had our own little forest.

I turn 68 on the 7th.
I am an addict of whatever I get interested in!!!
Have always loved living things of all kinds...plants, animals, insects, you name it
As a child I was constantly playing in the dirt, planting things, collecting bugs...I just just love the smell of fresh dirt!
When my turtle died, my mom found me outside trying to dissect it to find its heart...I was about 4.
Sooooo...now I buy plants and keep getting animals.
When I was working, I had a little corner of my own...they called it 'the jungle' can't imagine why....
I have a 10 month old pup, and really want another one. I only have I other dog and two cats and three aquariums..so I have room for more...right???
Husband says no more animals and no more plants, but he doesn't usually notice when I add another plant or three.
I betcha when I get my new puppy, he'll just say "Oooo my God..."
like he did last time.
He loves the animals as much as I do, but doesn't have as much patience...lol...when the puppy comes running in all muddy and jumps on the furniture he gets upset, poor man....
When I get started on a type of plants, I think I have to have one of every variety....hoyas, adeniums, plumerias, cacti...and on and on...
I am a planimalaholic, and I need help....
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!!
Sharon

We have so many birthdays coming up! The March plant gathering really needs to be a BIG celebration. Lots of birthdays and new friends to celebrate. sam

Lynn looks like I am not the young un I will be 38 in May! I cannot believe I am actually admiting to that. I remember when I thought people my age were really old!!!
Trueepicture you are the youngun so far :o)

Kim,

What a great thread! It's good to see we have a wide range of peoples here.

Sharon,
I love living things, too. We've had all manner of critters-but hats off to you girl! Bugs and dissecting....eeeewwwwwww

Lynn, Lynn, Lynn, I am so disillusioned. All this time I thought you were 21. ;-) Now I find out you're...sputter - sputter...38!!!

I have to think about it to remember my age, too. Usually I just think about my birth year and go from there, easier than trying to keep up with the passing years.

Got run over by 50 this year. I have always loved to garden but had no place to do it. My early years of gardening consisted of my dad yelling at me to cut the grass. Moving to AZ and having xeriscape and cactus was nirvana. So what do I do then? I hook up with a wisconsin girl who loves guess what?----Grass! Life sure has a warped sense of humor. I keep making little in-roads into the lawn areas, one plant at a time, a tree here and a tree there, and sooner or later if I live long enough, all this grass is a gonner!

LOL Judy! Forgot I was 21- thanks for reminding me :-)

I'm really getting a kick out of the responses. It only goes to show that to be an obsessive gardener in the desert you best have a sense of humor!!!!!

JK, I have the exact opposite problem. Hubby loves grass and won't let me encroach into the yard. Says he likes to mow in a straight line........yea whatever........

Well I am 63. Tho my mother said your only as old as you fell. Times I am 101 some times I am 10!! lol I don't ever remember not having plants since I was on my own. My mother could grow Roses but nothing else. So don't know were I got my obsession from. I really got started when I stopped working about 4 years ago. Now my whole house looks like a greenhouse and so dose my back yard. But living in Tucson its manly Cactus , Succulents and Hoyas. Some I know the names some I don't. What ever you can grow in a pot!! That's my Obsession!! :)))))))

i'm 34 and the grandaughter of spud/dairy farmers from idaho. in her free time and younger years, my grandmother always worked in her vegitable garden, the largest i had ever seen! i think the gardening bug skiped a generation becuase my mom never had a big interest in gardening. for me, the bug finally hit when my husband and i bought our first house and he built me a raised flower garden with a pond. when we moved to our second, current house, we got to do all the landscaping ourselves. i was so excited to finallly have a front yard that did not look like all my neighbors yards (we did desert with cacti, native plants, and threw in a few wildflowers for a special touch). my passion is mainly cacti, the more unique and different, the better. i also enjoy wildflowers and when the weather cools, planting annuals. i love being outdoors and working in the yard/dirt really relaxes me when i need a "break" from the everyday and the stresses of life.

Looks like I am the "Senior Member" here...I am 71

I am REALLY not obsessed...I don't garden much due to breathing problems...but I do LOVE gourds and I enjoy reading about gardening...DH was a great gardener and introduced me to gourds before he died...does anyone want some gourd seeds?...I have a few different kinds.

I volunteer a lot at different places. Jo

I'm 59. Ouch. That's the first time I said that since my birthday in December. I guess I'd better get used to it. My parents weren't big gardeners, but my dad always had a few plants around. I got interested in plants in my sophomore year of high school, when I was the only one in the class who actually liked botony. I germinated a few beans and was hooked.

Since then I've had several plant businesses, including houseplants (it was the seventies, after all). Built my first pond in 1981 and started a pond business in 1987. When the pond business threatened to overwhelm me in 1995 I fled to Phoenix, where I had to get aquainted with a whole new group of plants. I moved to southern Arizona four years ago and I'm facing the biggest gardening challenges ever.

Plants are my life... but then so are animals. I garden with native plants so it benefits the migrating birds. I also have many (probably too many) pets.

DC...if you run out of room...I am on 4 acres that could use your attention!! LOL Can't wait to meet you in person. Jo

Well I'm a young 55, will be 56 in July and I've had a plant obsession for the past 40 or so years. My hubby still jokes about my renting an air conditioned u-haul to put my plants in when we moved to Mesa six years ago. Hey I have my priorities in order:-).

Blessings,
Awanda

You're my kind of gal Awanda! ;)

Great thread, Kim!

I'm 42 and although the obsession part didn't come along until my 30s, I remember one of my favorite childhood books was "The Secret Garden" - I still think of it often. Although I often hated getting stuck with chores like weeding, I spent a lot of time outdoors examining plants that my Canadian-farm-kid parents always had around- some landscape plants but always a big veggie garden.

I'm one of the lucky ones who was able to go back to school and make my obsession a career (well, two of the obsessions; I like to draw too). Now if there was just a way to work my animals (6 dogs, 3 cats and one horse - so far!) into the equation, I'd be all set....

I'm Pagancat's age- give or take ten years!!
I started out keeping house plants when I was 18 or 19, and really got into the outdoor part when I was 34 and bought a house. Shortly after that I discovered Mesquite Valley Growers and got into gardening more and more and more over the next few years. That's all!

Pagncat and I have a lot in common ... except for the age. I waent back to school, too, so I'm now a landscape designer and horticultural consultant. I'm also a botanical illustrator, but the only one of my drawings I can get to easily is of a bird.

I have lots of animals too. Three roping steers, four horses, one cat, five dogs, eight parrots and several ponds full of fish.

That's just lovely, thanks for view!

I'm so interested in the artwork of PaganCat and dancingchula. Very similar style, delicacy, detail, pure, unmuddied color. I paint and draw as well but in a much different style. Are you two of similar Astrological signs ....? or what do you have in common. Mystifying. Ah, the Universe!

I'm a capricorn.

LOL, probably too many years of school! I'm a Scorpio, but I'm not sure that's it!

I am also a landscape designer - although I finished a degree in Landscape Architecture, we're not allowed to call ourselves LAs until we pass a 5 part exam... *sigh*... so....

DC, beautiful drawing. Prismacolor pencils?

Susie, believe it or not, that was an assignment in alternative materials - I used markers on contractors plastic. Great, if you don't smear it!

Here's one of my greater sucesses - this was a 6 lb 4oz stray kitty (my husband thought she was the homliest cat alive) who is now a plump, sweet fur face.

VERY nice drawings, both of you...
Keep it up,drawing is such a wonderful talent to enjoy and share.
You're gifted and I can imagine that you share your talent amongst your friends. In Junior High I knew I wanted to be a botanist illustrator but never sought out the training.... cool stuff.
Thanks!
Susie

Oh PC! Somehow I missed your drawing, that's neat! You're both very talented.

Great pics! dancingchula has WONDERFUL artwork! Maybe we can talk her into showing us some more :) PC I didn't notice your leaf was a drawing! I LOVE it! And the kitty is just perfect!

Let's not tell them how much I paid you to say that, Fishy. ; )

Dang, she's really hauling in the bucks, isn't she???

I'm chiming in a little late on this thread. I've been in chilly Vermont for 10 days due to a family emergency but I'm back now and finally rested. Unfortunately, I lost 2 weekends so my seed starting is off to a delayed start.

I just turned 56 in January, grew up in Vermont, migrated to Phx in '72 and never looked back at that cold, wet weather where you have to shovel your way to work several months of the year. And *they* think our *summers* are bad. Scheesch!

I have always had lots of house plants but the gardening bug hit when we bought our first house here in Feenie in 2003. It's a huge in-town lot (one-third acre). I am trying to get the perimeter done first, as in cover up the ugly chain link fence, then plan to start landscaping in earnest. The house is 30 years old and it's basically unlandscaped.

You all here on the forums are a true inspiration. If I can make this yard look half as good as some of you - and you know who you are! - I'll be thankful.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. :-)
Mary