How did you come to be a gardener?

From an article by Ben Probert in Garden Rant: "I’m fascinated by stories about how people came to gardening. I’ve heard a few over the years, and gardeners seem to fall into two camps. There are those who were introduced to gardening by relatives when they were very young, and also people who had an epiphany later in life."

AS ONE OF EIGHT CHILDREN, I didn't learn about gardening from my mom, whose days were filled with other priorities. Her interest in gardening and birding was shared through her observations and comments said in rare quiet moments as we stood off to the side of the family pandemonium. She helped me see what she saw.

I got serious about gardening after I got sober (age 30) and was miserable working in high tech. It was a good job, good pay, good people, and I was trapped in a cubicle every damn day for nine years. Desperate to be outside, I began tearing up my San Jose, CA backyard on the weekends, planting tomatoes, flowers and zucchini. One weekend, I came across the Sunset book, Landscaping for Small Spaces, and it ROCKED my world. I saved my pennies while working in high tech and finally quit to get a degree in landscape design and horticulture from a nearby college.

Tisa Watts of the Columbus Garden School is damn glad to be out of a cubicle.

I designed residential landscapes for a contractor with a crew of 12. We moved to Oakland, and I worked in plant nurseries while doing consultations. That led to teaching people how to maintain the gardens they had. Then we moved again, this time to Columbus, OH.

WE STARTED THE COLUMBUS GARDEN SCHOOL IN 2019. One class led to another, and one instructor led to another. Some students only take a class or two, and others we see in classes every month. We are grateful to every one of you for supporting the school - and pursuing your own interests in gardening, construction, herbalism, crafts, and homesteading skills. You ROCK my world! I truly believe gardening (and education generally) is an act of resistance against the forces of boredom, ignorance, and disconnection.

WHAT'S YOUR STORY of how you came to be a gardener? How old were you? Who or what were you biggest influences? Have you gardening interests evolve over time?