by Jessica Shayne

Created on: February 21, 2009   Last Updated: March 01, 2009

Healing Garden

Five years ago, during a tight financial time I decided I should plant a garden to offset some of our grocery costs. There were many roadblocks right from the start. Most significantly, I was somewhat disabled from a genetic heart condition which meant many tasks that gardening required were difficult or impossible for me. Bending over and getting up or down left me breathless and lightheaded. The heat left me weak and sleepy, and I couldn't lift or carry anything heavier then a couple pounds. My husband and children, while appreciative of my efforts, were not interested in gardening. I could convince them to carry a heavy bag or move the wheelbarrow around but it was seldom done without moaning and groaning.

Another very important roadblock was that I new nothing about gardening, however, I did have the Internet. I researched as many aspects of gardening as I could think of then headed off to our local gardening store to buy seeds. I confidently purchased a few favorites like carrots, lettuce, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. I also bought a small bag of hideous sprouting potatoes. My confidence evaporated quickly when I overheard three men discussing ideal soil types and their preferred gardening tools, each of course for a specific task. Most of which I had never even heard of.
One of the men, I assumed an employee, laughingly said, "I get a kick out of people who think you can just throw the seeds in the ground and watch them grow".
What, you mean you CAN'T? But that was my exact plan! I was going to plant the seeds and water them, what else was there? Somewhat despondent I left with my seeds and my ugly potatoes.

My husband reluctantly tilled up a small patch of land all the while insisting that I was wasting my time, that I wasn't a gardener and that I would lose interest after a week. Still he tilled on. The soil was rather clumpy but with shovel in hand I slowly dug out enough rows to house my little seeds. With my inability to remain bent over for more then a few seconds and since I was already sweating from digging the six rows, I decided that it would be better for me to sit on the ground while planting the seeds. It worked well enough, even though my kids laughed at me.
I read the package instructions, which I didn't understand, then sprinkled the various seeds into their trenches. It wasn't an incredibly warm day but nonetheless, it wasn't long before I began feeling quite fatigued. I left the seeds uncovered, the bag of potatoes beside

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