"Cultivate Your Garden," good advice from Voltaire
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
Eugene, Oregon
April 30, 2016 10:22am CST
In the very funny satirical little French novel "Candide," written by Voltaire and published way back in 1759, Voltaire ended by advising readers to tend to their gardens and let the world of politics go, at least for the moment.
Leaving aside the heated political season for the moment, I walked around outside yesterday with my camera, taking photos of Anne's gardening handiwork. Well, I did dig some holes and hauled some dirt but she waters and weeds and takes care of things.
This "Dappled Willow" caught my eye from the window. It does not bloom, but the leaves are such a beautiful color. It is apparently ideal for that wet area in the garden and grow pretty big if not pruned. Fertilizer will help it keep its great color all summer.
I really like that word too, "dappled."
Are you a gardener or do you just admire the results like I do?
15 people like this
15 responses
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
1 May 16
I would garden, given the conditions. Here, I just tend to some container plants inside and out. If I had a sunny spot where I could be certain to control the water and light, I would grow some veg again, but that's not happening here.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 May 16
We even have light problems here due to the way the house faces and the movement of the sun.
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@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
1 May 16
@JamesHxstatic I have no place that gets more than five hours of sunshine here. I tried, but food plants need more light and steady temperatures. It has been the temperatures here that have fluctuated wildly in the last few years. Grew lots of foliage, but not much in the way of crops. Waste of water.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 May 16
@ElizabethWallace I don't have much hope for tomatoes, but will try a couple in a container next week.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189915)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Apr 16
I used to be a gardener and loved it. Love to watch things grow. Now, where we live, we can't grow anything but in containers. We have to keep everything up and out of the way so the mowing people can do their jobs. It is sad and I miss it. Not the same growing things in containers.
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@celticeagle (189915)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Apr 16
@JamesHxstatic ...There are so many different tomatoes varieties. I like the pears and cherry varieties. I used to plant cucumbers, peppers and ornamental lettuce. Enjoy!
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Apr 16
I am thinking of tomatoes in containers so I can move them with the sun since we may not get enough. Sorry you can't plant.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Apr 16
Here it is best to wait for Mothers' Day to plant tomatoes to avoid frost.
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
1 May 16
that's beautiful! the foliage 'lone requires no flowers to compete :) i love diggin' 'n the dirt 'n the hubs does's well...okay, he'll plant schtuff but prone to not tendin' to't, lol.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14790)
• Ireland
30 Apr 16
@jameshxtatic I grow vegetables and admire them too! Voltaire for it write. I wish some more people would just dig their gardens! It's 30 years since I read Candide; must look it out again.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Apr 16
At least 30 years for me, but I loved the book and those words occur to me often.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
26 Aug 16
You are welcome and thanks for reading too.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
3 May 16
used o be no now as i live in a retirement center and no longer can garden but I did at one tinme and we like fools sold a house that we only owed 1 000 dollars on and never recouped from that s o lived in apts. big blunder.
@allknowing (153529)
• India
1 May 16
We gave up the so called glamour life to be here - a semi rural town - just so that I get space to give in to my passion for gardening.
1 person likes this
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but i would love to grow my own veggies
@teamfreak16 (43614)
• Denver, Colorado
30 Apr 16
We have nowhere to garden in our complex, so I just have to admire others. Out neighbors are growing veggies in our flower beds, though.
