Lexington, KY - This is always a difficult time of the year for me, and it’s not because of my sinuses, though the sources of the pollens and other allergens are partly to blame for my troubles.
This is the time of the year when I’m reminded that I’m not a very accomplished gardener, at all. Cursed is probably a more appropriate adjective. Any time I put something in to some soil with the hopes of cultivating some sort of organism, in essence it’s nothing more than a burial service, or an execution. Death by dirt. Flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables, it doesn’t matter –– whatever it is, its days are numbered once I get my grubby hands on it.
My one house plant is the lone survivor, a finicky philodendron that refuses to flourish or perish. It just seems content sitting next to a window in my bedroom looking sickly. Truth be told, I didn’t even grow this plant; it’s a piece that broke off of a much larger and healthier looking plant when it was being repotted. This one is just suffering from my stewardship.
Of course, ignorance and inexperience come into play here with my crimes against botany. Valuable knowledge about plants and gardening can be gleaned from reference material and the Internet, but the real understanding, I believe, comes from years of practice. In my own yard and pots, I just have difficulty mustering enthusiasm about something that’s going to wither and die without any sort of fruition; I’m not a deviant.
I’ve always been envious of those people who have a way with plants –– flower beds or garden plots. Their relationship and command of the earth, and what comes out of it, is inspirational, and usually beautiful, if not delicious.
So my obvious disconnect with nature is compounded this time of the year, especially while we’re producing this issue, the second of our annual Home & Garden installment. Yes, we get to meet and talk to some amazing, sometimes even famous, local gardeners, but they just remind me that I get a green thumbs down.
In this issue, we meet local garden designer Jon Carloftis. Though Carloftis has a base of operations in Lexington now, he made a name for himself crafting immaculate rooftop gardens in New York City, adding a lot of color to the Manhattan skyline at the onset of his career. Some notable clients include Google, the Curtis Institute of Music and even President Obama. Locally and regionally, Carloftis’ work can be seen at Ashland: the Henry Clay Estate, the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion, Dudley’s on Short, and 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville, as well as at the Arboretum, where he has curated an edible garden with input from more than a dozen influentials chefs from across the country.
We also profile the gardening organization Faith Feeds, along with one of the group’s founders John Walker. The work Faith Feeds does, pulling together a vast network of farmers and gardeners to help feed the less fortunate in Lexington with their excess produce, along with running various informational workshops on growing food, is mighty important to our community, and I urge anybody who grows fruits or vegetables –– on a large or small scale –– to visit their website to learn how you can donate any excess crop toward their cause.
I urge other people to do it, because it’s pretty evident I’m not going to be much of a contributor.