Summer Is For Gardens
One of my favorite things about summer is that I get to spend plenty of time in my garden. Fresh air, sunshine and plants can soothe the soul.
Plus, it's great to grow your own fruit and vegetables, as it is healthier and cost-efficient. Tending to flowers and plants is time-consuming but very satisfying.
The same can be said for our online businesses. They take a lot of research, planning, growing and cultivating in order for them to be successful. But in the end they can be whatever we envision them to be.
Gardening could also make a fabulous niche business. There are countless things related to the topic that could be explored:
- how to grow plants/fruits/vegetables
- task-related tools
- accessories (hats, gloves, apparel)
- gardening soils
- fertilizers/additives
- decorative pots/planters etc.
You get the idea!
Endless Topics To Explore
The range of topics is limited only by your imagination. Over the years, I have experimented with growing a variety of fruits and vegetables.
For many years, I grew organic raspberries, blueberries and tomatoes. I had some years that produced magnificent bumper crops of large, delicious and sweet raspberries...definitely not the standard type you get at the grocery store.
One year I also took a stab at squash and zucchini, but they overtook my garden due to endless vines and leaves.
I had to give up on growing blueberries as the chipmunks would devour them as soon as they showed a hint of ripening.
Currently, we still have a few fruit trees (including pears and cherries). But once again, they never yield great results as the birds and chipmunks are too fast!
Try Something New
Just as you do with an online business venture, you must learn to adapt and try new things with gardening. When one thing flops, try again with something else. Eventually you'll find the recipe that works for you.
With care and consistent work, your flowers and plants will grow into masterpieces.
Regardless of how uncertain you are that something will grow to your liking, you must at least give it a concerted try.
Just as you would research your niche, build a website, and "grow" it with content, you must do the same with a garden.
Discover what will grow in your zone and go from there. Do you enjoy plants and flowers? Or would you like to grow fruits and vegetables? Perhaps both, as I do!
So Many Choices
As with our online business, there are endless choices for what you can grow and where.
Nowadays gardens are not just limited to those with yards. There are containers for small spaces that can grow flowers, herbs and vegetables.
This summer, instead of small crop fruits, I have made the switch over to focusing on herbs and lettuces. I'm becoming more interested in learning how to dry herbs, use fresh herbs in cooking and also for teas.
And so far, my lettuces, chilies, herbs, spices and tomatoes are growing nicely. I can tell you there is nothing tastier than a salad picked fresh out of your garden.
No pesticides, no GMOs...just good old-fashioned foods the way nature intended.
Do you garden? If so, what do you like to grow?
Susan
Recent Comments
37
Susan,
What a beautiful, refreshing post.
I love your garden analogy.
Like your post suggests, we have to tend to a business the same way you tend to a garden if we want to reap beautiful things.
Joy in the journey.
I was a member of a garden club for 10 years and don't regret it at all. Gardening also gives us a great, natural workout.
My sister-in law secretly planted tomatoes and mint when she came for a visit. I'm enjoying my beautiful, garden goodies every day.
Rachele
Thanks so much for sharing that Rachele. I enjoyed reading your response. Gardening is good for the soul. Appreciate your response.
Absolutely, Susan
It is one of my favorite pastimes. Nowadays, people are growing gardens on rooftops and walls. Have you seen the hydroponic, soilless gardens?
What next, soilless trees?
It's nothing like hands-on gardening. I like planting and getting my hands dirty. It's magical.
Planting the seeds of success,
Rachele
I have seen some interesting things in hydroponics including a building in Milan that’s trees growing all over the exterior points.
But nothing beats hands in the earth, traditional gardening. It is magical. Enjoy!
I'm with you Susie,
There is absolutely nothing like gardening like our moms did back in the day. It is a natural workout because you get to work all of the major muscle groups.
Rachele
I wouldn't mind living in a property with a nice garden again Susan...
Growing up in the countryside we always had space and the land for lots of different gardens... my favourite was always creating and caring for a rock garden or two!
Unfortunately as I have been living in apartments in big cities for nearly the last 20 years, a nice private garden is hard to come by!
Thanks for sharing my friend and enjoy the rest of your day! :-)
That's great to learn about, Nick! Thanks for sharing your story! Enjoy the rest of your day as well ;-) 😎
I would love to have a garden and work in it. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the environment so I can't spend any quality time working in a garden. That would be a really great niche for you since you already know so much about it and have had so many different experiences.
Barbara
Hi Barbara...allergies can be problematic indeed! I may just have to explore this topic on a site. Thanks for your kind words. Have a great day.
You're quite the gardener, aren't you?
I don't garden over here, but I used to grow many fruits and vegetables in Jamaica.
It is the most beautiful feeling of tranquility and feeling of achievements and accomplishments when you see all your time, effort and hard work come to fruition.
Especially when I used to plant mangoes and cherries and I get to sit under the cool trees and devour them one after the other until I was completely filled lol
Those were yummy moments that allows me to reflect and become homesick
Nevertheless, I am still finding my feet regarding gardening in the UK and I do hope that someday I will be able to share those memories as well
Thanks for sharing that Simone. How lovely to have such wonderful memories from Jamaica! Mangoes are so delicious. However, hard to beat an English garden. They are beautiful.
Any time spent in a garden is time well spent. So peaceful and rejuvenating. 🌺
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My hats off to you Susan for your amazing garden. There have been only two times when I grew vegetables. After buying my first house in Canada. And when we moved into our new house in LA.
The mellons got so big they rolled down the hill from our back yard here. Sadly the tomatoes got eaten by insects that reduced our harvest.
Since drought is a serious problem here and we have to reduce water consumption we decided to abandon our vegetable gardens and go to drought-resistant gardening.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hi Edwin…thank you for your kind words. Much appreciated.
That’s super to hear about your experiences. I know how you folks have to watch your water there. We are lucky to be on a well, so we don’t have that issue. I’ll bet the melons were amazing! But I know what you mean regarding critters eating the yield.
Take care,
Susan