Читать книгу Gardening with Grains - Brie Arthur - Страница 8

Introduction

Greetings from my sunny front yard in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. It is late spring, and the cool season grains are beginning to dry, making their statement all the more vividly. On this particular day, the breeze is strong and the humidity low. The sun sparkles and the cloudless Carolina blue sky provides the perfect backdrop to reflect on my grain journey.

As I kneel on a soft patch of turf to inspect the wheat, I realize that grass is one of the last remnants of the “normal” landscape I inherited upon moving to my home in 2010. A decade ago, I could never have imagined the possibilities this former tobacco field would bring.

The freshly mowed lawn serves as a lush green stage for the spring show of grains as they turn amber. The arching stalks of barley, oats and wheat wave in the breeze and glow in the sunshine. I’m daydreaming of what this space will look like in September when it is replanted with warm season grains such as corn, rice and sorghum. The possibilities are endless.

Today is a day to dream, give thanks and reflect with gratitude. It’s a day to take note of the simple moments, like a bee buzzing overhead, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds me. It’s a day for me to hope that my ramblings will influence others to take up this great hobby of gardening and to perhaps inspire a few folks to toss some grain seed into the earth and experience this same joy.

No question, I am more than a bit unconventional. Some may consider my style “natural,” or even “chaotic,” since a gardener’s hand isn’t always obvious in what I do. But in reality, these plantings are carefully planned, planted and managed from sowing to harvest. This diverse assortment of plants does not happen by accident. These dynamic colors and textures create a show that is visually intriguing and offers a compelling story and sense of place.

I’ve been a professional horticulturist and home gardener for twenty years. Early on, I learned that the only certainty is you will never stop learning from growing plants. No two seasons will ever be the same. Gardening is the opposite of Groundhog Day, which is why it is such a special way to spend your time. You will fall in and out of love with different plants over the years as your life and garden change. You will have more or less time to devote as your journey ebbs and flows, but I encourage you to experiment with new plants as often as possible and treasure the simple moments spent in your paradise.

If someone had told me even five years ago that I would be investing my time and energy into writing a book on grains I would have explained that “No, I am a woody ornamental propagator,” and walked away. But then one day you wake up and try something new and your world gets that much bigger.

That is what Gardening with Grains is aiming to achieve. I hope you will consider things you haven’t thought of before and challenge your creativity as a gardener. I want you to dream big, beyond your home and neighborhood and imagine the impact that we can all have on shaping and nourishing our communities. But most of all, I wish to whet your curiosity and invite you to grow something new, in a different context – and enjoy the process along the way.

~ Brie ~