The Tucson Botanical Gardens

Entrance of the Garden

Close Up Experiment

Today was my first class at the Tucson Botanical Gardens.  It was more of a nuts and bolts class about volunteering and the history of the garden which dates back almost some 50 odd years.  It was also today that I got to use my camera for the first time on the job.

Nancy, our historical guide

I won't go into the details of Rutger Potter and his wife Bernice as it is like everyone else's story in life, but I will tell you what I discovered at this class today.

Pomegranate

Grapefruit

1. I sat with wonderful people from all walks of life who are all passionate about some aspect in gardening....whether it be butterflies, plants, the community outreach program, education, or the many other activities that are related to just gardening.  I never thought about it until today....and discovered that my niche is "plant" related.  Next week's class is super focused on plants and their latin names....I personally look forward to this presentation as a plant doctor from the UA will be presenting. He has the reputation of freaking people out with his passion for plants and their behaviors:)  I can't wait to meet him. Again it is interesting to note that the word "garden" means different things to different people....it's not just about the plants and collecting them:) There are those volunteers who come for the social part while others are there for the plants. I sat next to a funny lady who works at T.B.G. and she said to me, "This place is bizarre because you have those who just want to volunteer, laugh and work together while you will meet those who are just scientific doctor nerds."  That sounds like my kind of place:)  Almost everyone in the class has their own garden and some just want to be working in the garden community together....amen:)

The Tropics Green House

Example of art in the garden

2.  It all starts from nothing. A man, who loved gardening, made his home an oasis and that it comes down to you, some dirt, and experimenting. I visited this garden in the 90's and what a transformation it has undergone!! Trees have grown and so has the garden!! The place is located in a crappy part of town, but when you enter the gates, you don't feel like you are in an ugly neighborhood.  Your personal garden can "screen" that nastiness away and create a bubble of joy and happiness. I came back to my place today thinking that life was good and that it will all be okay. I felt rejuvenated and hopeful.

Example of color in the garden

3. I discovered something inside of me that has been locked up for many years.....a passion that I can share with others about gardening. This has been something I have only celebrated by myself and it's nice to know that I am not the only one that feels that way.  Best of all, as a volunteer, I can do as much or as little with T.B.G as I like.  I am not an organized religion person(for example, Catholic, Mormon, etc.).  I am, however, a spiritual person.  My parents told me, when I moved to Tucson, that if I wanted to connect with good people, I'd have to join a church.  I really didn't like that advice, but the meaning behind it is solid.  "Find what you love and join."  Today it was wonderful being around people seeking the same thing. And I think gardening is religion with Mother Nature as our guide.

Example of wildlife in the garden

I look forward to the upcoming sessions that run until November.  Happy Gardening everyone!!

An example of the odd in the garden

Forgive my shaky hands as I "perfect" my video technique. Unfortuneatly, I will always have shaky hands....I sometimes feel like Katherine Hepburn.  This Canon camera is super amazing...the video on the IS 20 is superier to any mobile camera I have.  I will be able to do so much with this feature from the camera.  I have to work on my lighting a bit...I still don't have that down.