I started reading the book, “The Hidden Life of Trees” and it’s so good it’s freaking me out!
My mother raised me with a love of gardening and now that I have a yard I have been trying to turn my own thumbs green. There is definitely a lot to learn and a lot of trial and error involved in gardening. Experimenting with plants and growing techniques is like having a living outdoor science lab. I have been learning from watching my mother over the years and now I’m starting to do more research. Not only am I reading that book but I just finished the book, “Let it Rot” that teaches the science and the various techniques of composting. I figure that if the government isn’t going to care about the environment, then I’m gonna try twice as hard to educate myself and to create a positive effect on nature while I’m here. I’ve planted about a dozen trees where I live in hopes of adding a tiny bit back to the ravaged environment and now I’m learning more about growing and then recycling plant waste back into the garden. It’s fascinating stuff that really makes you feel good. Even if you don’t have a yard or a green thumb or even the desire to learn about gardening, I recommend getting yourself a bag of wildflower seeds and just tossing them somewhere near your house this spring. Or better yet, plant a tree somewhere. There are orgs that you can join that plant trees if you don’t feel confident doing it yourself. California has lost somewhere around a million trees because of the drought and global warming, so any tree you can add back into that carbon dioxide equation, anywhere in the world, will help.
Expect a lot of nature studies and plant drawings from me this year. Gardening and learning about the science of trees and other plants has become a peaceful meditative place for me. It’s one of the few ways I feel like I can actually help the earth. It’s a tiny offering and a tiny escape from the negative places in the world, which we all need.
Special thanks to my mother, for raising me to appreciate dirt, plants, animals and trees and for giving me that book!
Tree Time Lapse Drawing from Amy Davis Roth on Vimeo.
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