As a beginning gardener, I wanted to do everything the right way. I knew I was going to start my

first garden the fall before I actually did, so I had plenty of time to research anything and

everything. I took copious notes and I was determined that I was going to do this gardening

thing right. I researched the perfect companion plants.

I researched gardening by the moon and planting different crops by the moon phases.

And I also learned that there must be one way to stake, prune, or do anything else in the garden.

And can you imagine that I kind of got

overwhelmed because the information out there was daunting but still I was

determined looking back at the gardener I am now compared to the gardener that I

once was I have learned a lot gardening has taught me that few things in the gardener that I once was, I have learned a lot. Gardening has taught me that few things

in the garden world are actually black and white. Gardening opened me up to other ideas,

perspectives, and the acceptance that what works well for one person doesn't always work well

for another. I learned that two gardeners can have two

completely different experiences. So as a gardener now, I don't really look at a lot of things as

black or white. In fact, there are just a few things that I'm still pretty headstrong on, and there

are more things that I tend to let slide. I think it's good for

all of us to evaluate the things that we are very passionate about and the things

that we don't compromise and let a few things go as well. My list is probably

going to be different than yours but I thought I would share with you today

the garden principles that I have learned

that I won't compromise on and the ones that I will let slide.

I hope that my list will help to springboard you

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