Meet my friend, Maria. She works at Cristina's flowers on Lovers Lane – a perfect location for her to practice her love of gardening.
Maria quit her high-stress, well-paying supply chain job to follow her passion for growing things. In the short time she's been at this nursery, she planted a garden on the side yard of the shop. A small but prolific crop sprouted, which she shares with her co-worker, Romero.
Working in an office, driving a sports car and sitting in countless meetings that demanded her undivided attention gave 27 year old Maria a great income. But only once she slowed down and looked at the value of her life and what's really meaningful did she have the courage to propel herself in a new direction. She went back to doing something her mother taught her to do – growing things.
Maria's garden featured in these photos shows two simple solutions. One is container gardening such as what she did with squash. The key with container gardening is to use good potting soil and fertilize with food grade fertilizer (or homemade compost). Container gardening can be done cheaply by using a tub or any cheap planter, provided it has proper drainage. Frequent watering is a must in southern climates because containers dry out quicker than in-ground gardens.
Another cost effective solution is to use concrete blocks. These generally cost under $2 a block, so building a configuration in a small yard or a rental property won't break the bank. You'll want to fill this garden with good raised bedding soil (not potting soil). The smaller blocks can be used for chives or invasive plants such as mint. Flowering plants such as marigolds and alyssum can be fragrant fillers as well as companion plants to ward off certain pests.
There are so many ways to rediscover joy. One of them is to grow things. Follow Maria's wise path in life: start a garden.
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