Who inspired you to garden/grow veg?

[Iamhanuman]

It was definitely my mum - the green-fingered goddess that she was.
I've dabbled over the years because of habing helped her as I grew up, and i've always hoped i'd have inherited her green digits.

When she passed away just before Christmas last year I made it my mission to start gardening for real in her honour and have set myself up to follow on in her footsteps with a little bit of money that she left me.

Here's to you mum

[selfraising]

It was definitely my mum - the green-fingered goddess that she was.
I've dabbled over the years because of habing helped her as I grew up, and i've always hoped i'd have inherited her green digits.

When she passed away just before Christmas last year I made it my mission to start gardening for real in her honour and have set myself up to follow on in her footsteps with a little bit of money that she left me.

Here's to you mum

I think that's lovely

[HeyWayne]

I listened to the voices in my head.

[selfraising]

I listened to the voices in my head.

The voices in your head often offer the best ideas

[coreopsis]

My granny's sister-she has a small garden.She gave me and my sister a small plot each to not to disturb(read wreck)her "real" gardening.We used to grow radishes,lettuce and cress.With time we got familiar with sowing,digging,weeding,watering and the other stuff.
She's 89 this year and still gardening(with my sister's help as I'm here).

[Storming Norman]

My gran [my fathers mother] inspired my mother to grow food.

She could turn food from nothing and her family survived during the war on her efforts. I can remember her fantastic veg patch that was so pretty but ruthlessly productive as well.

Funny though she had no idea how to cook and serve the produce at it's best. I can remember a meal where runner beans and raspberries were served to us that had been defrosted - when she had fresh of both in the garden.

We even had some rotten bottled strawberries once when she had such lovely ones in the garden that we were not allowed to pick!

However my mum learned how to grow from her and it served all of us well when we were rather poor, when my father was ill and unable to work. Now my mum has had to give up her home/garden as she is unwell and needs to move into something smaller. She is really sad about the loss of her fruit trees.

It's now my pleasure to provide her with her favourite veg from the garden and I have recently planted all the varieties of fruit that she used to provide me with which we both love - so she can continue to enjoy them as well.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with my garden; time being the worst issue. Having someone who wants your food at it's best - unlike my OH who is rather disinterested in veg - makes a big difference to my enjoyment of growing my own food.

So my mum has re-inspired me again recently - but I'm not telling her!

[Iamhanuman]

I think that's lovely

thanks Selfraising!

[rogesse]

heres to mums!

[flowerofshona]

It was my dad
I used to help him with the veggies and i had show rabbits and all their poo went into the bean trenches ect and he always made me pick out the seedlings and he ALWAYS sowed them to thick, his excuse was his fingers where to thick to do it and thats how i got roped in !

[BilboWaggins]

Definitely my Mum, who was actually my foster mum and old enough to be my granny. She had brought a young family through WWII by growing veg, keeping bees and hens, and being a superb and inventive cook. I am sure there was no truth to the rumour that she encouraged her kids to climb over the wall of the neighbouring convent to nick all the fallen apples!

As a kid I had my own section of bench in her greenhouse and my own bit of veggie plot. Over the years I have had spells of not gardening as life/the universe got in the way, but whenever I have had a patch to cultivate I am amazed at how much I learnt from Mum just by being in the garden with her. I don't actually remember ever being taught stuff, but now I am so thankful that the knowledge is there, must have seeped in by osmosis.

Favourite family story: over 40 years ago mobile phones weren't even invented and no-one we knew had a telephone extension. "THE PHONE" was black, Bakalite, and fixed to the wall next to the front door. I can remember some serious investigations as to whether it was possible to have an extension put in the greenhouse because Mum's health wasn't ever brilliant and all the family wanted to make sure they could get hold of her - but she was never within hearing distance of the phone in the house. Sadly she died before we all had mobiles but I suspect she'd have stuck hers in an apron pocket and never answered it!

[BilboWaggins]

Having someone who wants your food at it's best - unlike my OH who is rather disinterested in veg - makes a big difference to my enjoyment of growing my own food.

Relieved (but also saddened) that this situation does not only exist in our house. Whilst planning all the new veg beds I keep saying to Management "just think of the flavour of fresh carrots/peas/spuds/insert as appropriate" and all I get is a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt.

As friends know, I am too bloody-minded to let him put me off but it can be a bit disheartening at times.

[selfraising]

I love the story about the phone Bilbo. I remember if we wanted to use the phone we had to go across the road to our neighbour who had one.

[Iamhanuman]

Relieved (but also saddened) that this situation does not only exist in our house. Whilst planning all the new veg beds I keep saying to Management "just think of the flavour of fresh carrots/peas/spuds/insert as appropriate" and all I get is a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt.

As friends know, I am too bloody-minded to let him put me off but it can be a bit disheartening at times.

that sucks - sorry to all who suffer this
luckily i have a very supportive and drooling OH

[Hazel at the Hill]

Relieved (but also saddened) that this situation does not only exist in our house. Whilst planning all the new veg beds I keep saying to Management "just think of the flavour of fresh carrots/peas/spuds/insert as appropriate" and all I get is a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt.

As friends know, I am too bloody-minded to let him put me off but it can be a bit disheartening at times.

Ah ha - he says that now - you wait till he's tasted said carrots/peas/spuds/insert as appropriate. 'Specially new potatoes and tomatoes in my view.

Bloody minded can be good!

[Iamhanuman]

i'd eat them in front of him smothered in butter and herbs and all things good but refuse to let him have a bite

give that a try...