Imagine my pleasant surprise to learn Smith was to be given an award. As I’ve mentioned, gardeners, though seemingly nice and mild-mannered on the outside, are really cutthroat, fierce competitors on the inside. We want the biggest and most tomatoes, bushels of cucumbers and peppers, glamorous deep purple eggplants, and to be the one with an odd, exotic variety no one else is growing. At least I know I do, but I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. My first year gardening here, Smith was recognized. Last year, it wasn’t and while that was disappointing, I don’t blame the judges. A long, dry summer and a few missteps on my part made the plot completely lackluster. This year was different with the plants practically bursting forth from Smith, vigorous, healthy, attractive.
Smith at judging time
The community garden brass would be handing out the award certificates at the annual picnic, which we attended for the first time in my three years of gardening there. Here’s the email sent to the award winners:
Hello fellow gardeners!
Your plots have been selected by the Master Gardener Judges for recognition this year! Your gardens scored high based on creativity, design, maintenance, use of flowers, health of plants, diversity, and productivity. It was a tough year in the garden, with a wet spring and a scorching, dry summer. Your plots thrived and caught the attention, and in come cases, inspired, our master gardener judges. You each have contributed to the beauty of the garden and your gardens represent what our judges think a community garden should be at its best.
You will each receive a certificate recognizing your achievement this year as gardeners. (No, no enormous cash prize, sorry.) I hope you all will be able to attend the picnic tomorrow and collect the certificate in person; share some delicious food and good times with your fellow gardeners; and, give the rest of us tips on how you create and maintain such wonderful gardens.
I’ll be honest and say it made this proud garden papa feel good to be receiving recognition. I’m pretty sure gardening success includes a healthy bit of luck when it comes to weather, garden pests, and how a particular variety of plant will do in a particular location. But this moment allowed me to admit, o.k., I guess I know a little something about tending a garden.
The picnic was surprisingly fun. Nice people brought colorful, delicious dishes of food prepared from fresh garden produce. Afterwards, a few master gardeners made remarks about gardening in general and community gardening in particular. Surprising to hear all that’s going on in the world of gardening: seminars, advanced learning, volunteer opportunities. Then the certificates. I was a little embarrassed when they called my name, but I went forward to be given the award. Smith had been selected the First Runner Up Garden in the Use of Flowers. At first I was a tiny bit disappointed that it was an award for flowers. I like using and having flowers in the garden. While we eat fresh produce, we enjoy looking at a vase full of fresh, pretty blossoms. Still, I would have said my main goal is growing vegetables, or at least planting a nice combination of good looks and good eats.
I realized I was being recognized, in a sense, as an artist. I consider the garden a canvas and the plants, the colors and textures I splash on it. That a group of experienced master gardeners liked my use of flowers in the context of the vegetable garden is, in a way, a small validation of my artist’s eye, my sense of what’s beautiful, evocative, interesting.
A tomato competition (biggest, smallest, best tasting, oddest shape) provided the roller coaster, nail biting, photo finish to the day, but by then I had slipped away from all that excitement to the peace of Smith. There was a bucket of tomatoes to pick and squash and peppers to water. And yes, there were also nicely planted and arranged flowers to admire.
Proud Artist-Gardener
