DIY Network

Gardening vs. Parenting

Master gardener Joe Lamp'l, host of Fresh from the Garden, points out similarities in the two subjects.

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As with plants, children, depending on the environment, will thrive, adapt or struggle.

Gardening is very much like parenting

By Joe Lamp'l

I love to garden. For most of my life, it's been my favorite way to relax, to create and to feel one with nature. On the weekends, I'd be up before sunrise, dressed and ready to take on the garden at dawn's first light. I'd stay out all day, only coming inside when I ran out of daylight, thoroughly exhausted, yet completely exhilarated.

This was my routine for years. Then came the blessing of children. They, too, have demands. And unlike my garden, their demands are quite vocal and admittedly far more important than anything on my outdoor to-do list. The countless hours of nurturing my garden are now shared with cultivating sprouts of a different sort.

Although my children are still young at 6 and 7, I'd consider them mere seedlings in their present stage of life. So although I'm not qualified yet to speak of their botanical equivalency beyond this stage, I can see some common links between sound gardening practices and sound parenting.

As with plants, children, depending on the environment, will thrive, adapt or struggle.

I hope, for example, my children will always thrive without becoming aggressive or invasive. Assertive would be just fine. I pray they'll never be considered toxic, poisonous, noxious or thorny. My hope is simply to provide the best foundation, so that ultimately, they'll flourish on their own. I also hope they understand the concept of transplanting and that it is healthy and good.

I'll work to promote their ability to be adaptable, tolerant of sun or shade and hardy in all zones. I wish them to be evergreen, but if they happen to be deciduous, I envision great bark, beautiful structure, form and four seasons of interest.

I'm sure my seedlings will become specimen plants in the garden of life, standing out because of their unique attributes but not overpowering the beauty of their surroundings. I see them not as annuals, bringing color and interest for only a short time, but rather as perennials, not so lavish in show but of value for what they'll contribute throughout the year.

I also see my children as alluring, fragrant plants. You likely won't notice them visually right away. Rather, I'd hope you'd become aware first of their pleasing fragrance, often times from a great distance away. I'd hope you'd be drawn to them, desiring to find the source of this pleasure. Once located, I'd hope you'd move in close to take in the full impact of this delight and always depart with a satisfied sigh and smile on your face.

If I could raise my children to have even more botanical attributes, they would be like plants or trees that provide shelter, protection and food for other living creatures, shade to cool the soil and discourage weeds from taking root nearby.

Yes, I envision a grand plan for what grows under my watch. But I am a gardener, a nurturer, an optimist, and most important, a parent. As such, I believe I have the privilege and responsibility to make a positive impact on the lives of those I love as well as on the lives of people I will never know, much like gardens do for those who pass by.

(Joe Lamp'l, a master gardener, hosts DIY's Fresh from the Garden as well as a gardening radio show. For more information, visit www.joegardener.com.)

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