Can a Scottsdale mom do that?
Who thinks Scottsdale, AZ is nothing but a hot desert where nothing grows except all those poky cacti ? I set out to change that assumption. It turns out, we can grow tropical and subtropical trees here—we just have to learn how to offer them the right microclimate and where to plant them around the house.
There is a funny irony in my journey. Back in 1996, I created my main character "Lovelle," a gardener, for Planet Heart. At the time, I had no idea I would ever become a gardener myself. It was just a trait I admired.
I named the character after the real Lovelle Williams, a man I met in San Francisco. He was my mentor at Landmark Education, and he brought me sunflowers that he grew in an unused, beautified plot in the middle of the city! The real Lovelle's life was an incredible story of resilience: he was born addicted to cocaine and faced homelessness, but he turned his life around to become a coach who shared his positive energy with me and was always appropriate. He gave me the exact hope I needed at that time. (Don Quijote died in the book I was reading for 6 credits-a full year-at Berkeley, which broke me that semester because I thought we can all create the reality that we want...) Anyway, the real Lovelle did just that.
Now, when I garden in the Sonoran desert, I carry that inspiration with me:
I think of Abraham, who planted a tree in the land of Israel to signify he was done wandering the desert and the entirety of the Middle East. He was ready to set roots.
I think of my grandfather, who brought the first sprinkler system—and the first spinach—to Israel. He actually studied agriculture at the university in Germany.
I think of the Israeli pioneers who turned the desert into thriving food sources for import to neighboring countries and Europe.
Gardening is more than just a hobby for me; it is a way to heal, a way to cool the environment and lower the AC in the house, and a way to prove that growth is possible (even in the toughest alkaline soil.). Growth is always inspiring.
I’m sharing this journey on my new Planet Heart LLC YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/gyHJj6DD.
Please ask me questions about growing tropical fruit if you want me to talk your ears off!