With Carol asking the very poignant question <a href="https://caroljmichel.com/blog/" target="new" rel="noopener">“What makes a Gardener”</a> and the BBC’s HGTV offering a two-part series on <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/" target="new" rel="noopener">“How to be a Gardener”</a> one would think that that people might be queuing up to become part of this international obsession.

<img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1503" src="https://gardeningtipsnideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/mg-female-digging.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="208" />Of all the pastimes and hobbies available to people, gardening is quite unique. Like a patchwork you can hang plants on the wall. You can collect and source plants like a philatelist collects stamps – and these collections have value like stamps do. You can even join clubs and hang out with like-minded people in the same way a golfer might become a member of their local organisation.

But what really makes a gardener a “Gardener”?

While many people have gardens (which in most cases should be removed from them like the child of a negligent parent) not many would claim their “Gardener-ship”. So how do you become a gardener? Are there any skills you need to have at your disposal? And, as with all hobbies, what jargon needs to be learnt?

Well here’s a few rules to help you out in becoming a gardener; – BTW rules always have their irregularities and most are made to be broken.
<ol>
 	<li> Understand the basics – plants need water, food and light.</li>
 	<li>Plant in spring.</li>
 	<li>Prune when the plant is not it’s growing season (key jargon – dormant!)</li>
 	<li>Soil is king – Scott’s will tell you otherwise because they can’t market mulch well.</li>
 	<li>Propagation (another key jargon word!) isn’t hard – its just a matter of finding the method that works the best for your plant.</li>
 	<li>Other local gardeners are your best source of inspiration and help – not TV gardeners.</li>
 	<li>Even the best Master Gardeners have plants that fail</li>
 	<li>Worms are good – do not try to kill them with pesticides</li>
 	<li>Talking to your plants is not a sign of insanity</li>
 	<li>Finally, if every plant you ever put in the ground dies – take up macrame.</li>
</ol>
That’s it – gardening in a nutshell. The rest you will learn along the way. Just enjoy it and have fun as it is supposed to be a hobby!