This unusual autumn vignette comes from the grounds of The Urban Farmer, a garden supply store in Richmond, CA. I spent last Saturday there, as part of a Pacific Horticulture Society board meeting.
![]()
It's always interesting to get together with my fellow PHS board members, so much passion in that group. We spent the day discussing how to secure the funding needed to keep the society operating, as is the case with many nonprofits — even those with garden passion — money does not grow on trees.
To pass time on the flight home I'd downloaded the 2015 documentary Can You Dig This: "CAN YOU DIG THIS follows the inspirational journeys of four unlikely gardeners, discovering what happens when they put their hands in the soil. This is not a story of science and economics. This is a story of the human spirit, inspiring people everywhere to pick up their shovels and "plant some shit." The star of the film is Ron Finley, the "Gangster Gardener" who dared to plant up his hellstrip in South Central LA, if you haven't listened to his TED Talk from 2013 you can find it here. It's a good one.
The difference between my day (and life) and the days (and lives) of those of the individuals followed in the film is extreme, to say the least. Yet the premise of the film, "people are planting to transform their neighborhoods and are changing their own lives in the process" and Pacific Horticulture Society's belief in "the power of gardens to enrich life and inspire environmental stewardship" are based on the same convictions.
Gardening makes the world a better place.
Weather Diary, Oct 31: Hi 62, Low 35/ Precip 0
Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
It's always interesting to get together with my fellow PHS board members, so much passion in that group. We spent the day discussing how to secure the funding needed to keep the society operating, as is the case with many nonprofits — even those with garden passion — money does not grow on trees.
To pass time on the flight home I'd downloaded the 2015 documentary Can You Dig This: "CAN YOU DIG THIS follows the inspirational journeys of four unlikely gardeners, discovering what happens when they put their hands in the soil. This is not a story of science and economics. This is a story of the human spirit, inspiring people everywhere to pick up their shovels and "plant some shit." The star of the film is Ron Finley, the "Gangster Gardener" who dared to plant up his hellstrip in South Central LA, if you haven't listened to his TED Talk from 2013 you can find it here. It's a good one.
The difference between my day (and life) and the days (and lives) of those of the individuals followed in the film is extreme, to say the least. Yet the premise of the film, "people are planting to transform their neighborhoods and are changing their own lives in the process" and Pacific Horticulture Society's belief in "the power of gardens to enrich life and inspire environmental stewardship" are based on the same convictions.
Gardening makes the world a better place.
Weather Diary, Oct 31: Hi 62, Low 35/ Precip 0
Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.