How to Learn to Garden

Hiring a coach to guide you through the creation and fruition of your first garden may not be an option — and learning to garden is partly self-exploration, anyway, figuring out what works for you and your family, or simply what you think is beautiful.

My Video about How to Learn Gardening

Now that the video how-to site MonkeySee has launched, my 2-minute clip about Learning More about Sustainable Gardening is right here.

What Paul James Advises

Master Gardener and gardening guru to millions, Paul James, host of HGTV’s “Gardening by the Yard,”) offers these suggestions:

• Watch gardening shows on TV. (Here’s my review of HGTV’s gardening shows.)
• Talk to Real Gardeners.
• Join a Garden Club. In Paul’s hometown of Tulsa, OK, he’s a member of The Swinging Rakes Garden Club.
• Attend Garden Tours.
• Attend Garden Shows.
• Hang out at a local nursery, especially during the week when the staff has more time to answer questions.
• Read gardening books and magazines. Subscribe to one gardening magazine. (Garden Gate is a national magazine often recommended for beginners.)
• Own one good gardening encyclopedia.
• Get in your car and drive around. (I’d say if you’re lucky enough to live in a walkable neighborhood, do the same on foot, or even bicycle.)