American Thanksgiving brings thankfulness to the mind

Tree House at Northview Garden
Northview Garden Treehouse in Fall
Autumn Leaves in a water feature at Northview Garden
Autumn leaves gathered in a water feature at Northview Garden

This is the month that Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday. Has your garden made you happy or joyful this year? Learn what I am thankful for and then compile your own list.

Please let me know what you are thankful for this gardening year – in the comments below or via Instagram @Northviewgarden or @jennyrosecarey or my jennyrosecarey.com website https://jennyrosecarey.com/ where you can subscribe to my once a month email.

Nyssa sylvatica leaves in their autumn colors - Sourgum
I am thankful for my trees – here are the gorgeous autumn tints of Sourgum – Nyssa sylvatica

THANKS – T-H-A-N-K-S

Two majestic old trees look like they are talking to each other
I enjoy the majestic beauty of old trees and plan for the future by planting lots of new ones

T is for Trees

I love my trees. They change with the seasons, they provide cooling shade, and take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. I like to figure out how to grow more trees from seeds. I am especially enjoying watching my young Red Buckeyes that grow from conker-like fruit poked directly into the soil. I am thankful this year because my pawpaw patch is at last fruiting. We ate some of the banana-custard tasting fruit and the raccoons polished off the rest.

Paw paw fruit
At last I have fruit on my East Coast native Paw paw trees. They are easy to grow from seed

H is for Health and Happiness

I know that my garden helps my physical and mental health. I am grateful to be healthy enough to enjoy the process of gardening. Being in my garden whether doing something active or enjoying the life around me makes me happy. Particularly planting anything from seeds – it is becoming a bit of an obsession.

Persimmon Fruit
American Persimmon – We are growing these trees from seed. The mature tree has incredible tessellated bark

A is for Artistry

Painted Gourd bird houses handing in the garden at Northview
Painted birdhouse gourds are a visual treat in the garden but if the hole is the right size will be used by birds for nesting

My garden is my creative outlet and I love designing it on a macro and micro scale. I love choosing or painting objects to be placed outside, selecting and combining plants in ways that I enjoy and find beautiful. I am thankful every day for the opportunity

Blue sky and puffy white clouds at Northview
Amazing blue sky and puffy white clouds outlined by trees at Northview

N is for Nature

I love the natural world found in my garden. From the rain and sun, to the plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms it all makes my garden what it is. I am grateful for all of it – even when there is a drought or the days are too hot or too cold. My garden keeps me guessing about what is next. I love the challenge of looking after it.

Butterfly on pink hardy chrysanthemum flower
Late butterfly on a hardy chrysanthemum flower

K is for Kindness

Gardeners are some of the kindest people I know. They look after each other and their gardens, they swap seeds, and give you cuttings. Thank you to all of my gardening friends, both nearby and virtual who have shown kindness to me this year. It is much appreciated. I just gave a lecture at our local library and found out that they do a seed swap. What a great idea. Other communities make little seed swap libraries and put them in a box made like the little library boxes. One village in England has one in an old English, red phone booth.

Seeds in glass vials at Thomas jefferson's Monticello
Seeds in glass vials at Thomas Jefferson’s garden at Monticello

S is for Soil

A red-handled shovel poked into soil enriched with leaf mold
Just about to plant? Add extra leaf mold to the soil as you dig

Where would we be without soil. Nowhere. Yes, I know that you can grow lettuces hydroponically but that is not for me. I am grateful for my lovely, life-giving, healthy soil. It feeds my plants and the ecosystem beneath our feet. I will be adding lots of compost and leaf mold to enrich it for the coming season.

Remember to save your leaves in their own place to let them rot down to make ‘black gold’ leaf mold

Bye for now Gardening Friends. Please reach out to me via Instagram or my jennyrosecarey.com website where you can subscribe to my once a month email. Cheers, Jenny Rose Carey

Link to my website https://jennyrosecarey.com/