Gardening by proxy

Early in April, I packed my bag hastily to travel because my family needs me now. It happens to many of us as parents get older and need help; it is neither unusual nor unexpected, and I am grateful I can do it. So for these five early spring weeks, I am gardening by a proxy.

On Easter Sunday, I transported myself from a country where snow was still on the ground in spots, to a country where every shrub seems to be a forsythia on gentle fire. I am spending my days at home, and my interaction with this exploding spring is now, unfortunately, sporadic. Meanwhile, at home, my tomato and pepper seedlings are in need of pricking out. I have been informed, however, that the soil has been purchased and the activity is planned for Saturday. Eggplants are started too.

How is it possible that the garden can be gardened without me? Pictures are arriving. Iris reticulata blooms - without me - and is looking better than ever. I am slightly offended by their apparent indifference to my absence. Hepatica is blooming for the first time, also without me, and yet I know about it as soon as it happens. My other half gardens but reports that it’s not easy to be me. Yesterday, he pruned grapes and I suspect, he was happy I wasn’t around so that he could try another method. I was sceptical, but now, I am curious about the results. He is a late convert to gardening and doesn’t get enough chances to try his own ways when I am around, I admit freely, so I think it will do us and the garden good to have another gardener taking over for a bit.

When we finally pricked these seedlings out together live and on video, with the addition of my mom giving instructions, it was even more fun than usual. We now get regular updates, and my mom finds it motivating, as always when plants are involved. She can no longer garden, and she can rarely make it to her community garden now, so this is a nice activity we can do together.

It is one of those moments when gardening is not about plants, but about people we do it with.