The Pepper That Could

Last spring before Byron built the beginnings of my garden, I planted several edibles in my front landscape. This little sweet pepper plant never did great. Yet even after all the cold snaps we've had, here it is still hanging on. If it could hang in there another couple of weeks I think It'll make it!

One of my favorite children's' books is "The Gardener" by Sarah Stewart. It's about a little girl who travels to the city to work at her Uncle's bakery during the Great Depression. Her Uncle is grumpy and the city is grungy. The story is related through letters to her Grandmother. She hauls dirt from an empty lot and fills every rusty can or abandoned container and plants the seeds she receives in the mail from her Grandmother. The top of the building becomes her very own garden in the city. Even her Uncle manages a wry smile before she leaves. It's the very message that I want to give my children. With a little desire and creativity you can make almost anyplace beautiful.

Just because you do not have a lot of land shouldn't stop you from following your gardening dreams. I remember as a young girl planting veggies in plastic five gallon buckets in our backyard. My Mother's small front porch was the brightest spot of the street, with all the vibrant flowers and plants. Go ahead plant some zucchini in the front landscape! My sister's 15 year old son has a green thumb and her front landscape sported some very trendy watermelon vines this past year.