Father’s Day for the Gardening Dad

Gardening isn’t just a hobby for me – it’s a passion that both stirs me and grounds me…connecting me to nature’s honest rhythms and to what was best about my childhood. This deep love for the outdoors and gardening began when I was a boy…

…transplanting perennials from my grandparents’ yard with my mom…
…hunting in the woods of Florida with my dad…
…admiring my great grandmother’s forever garden-of-the-month-of-a-yard…
…and listening to Auntie’s stories about growing up on a Kentucky farm.

You could say that my love for gardening is deeply rooted. And it’s a love that I’m hoping to pass on to my kids. So it’s no surprise that the perfect day for me would include spending time with my girls…

…freshening up our pots and containers with herbs and annuals…
…planning, planting , or harvesting veggies from our garden…talking about where real food comes from…
…picking flowers to bring inside for Britt…
…watching our busy bees come and go from their hive…
…collecting eggs from our feathered friends…
…or just hanging out…enjoying nature and each other.

That’s what real life is to this gardening dad…rich, textured, meaningful life.

So…if your dad or hubby is a gardener and you want to make this Father’s Day really special for him, consider creating a day that’s all about getting outside with him in the yard. And if you’re having trouble envisioning what that looks like, simply think in terms of Do, Play, and Be.

• Offer to help your dad with a project that he’s been working on or talking about doing for some time.
• Consider bringing the Father’s Day festivities outside and incorporate a classic yard game like bocce ball, cornhole, or horseshoes.
• At the end of the day…um, literally…Father’s Day is all about being with your dad. So enter into his world and just be with him. Your presence will mean everything.

As a gardening dad, I can assure you that a day that looks like what I described above will be a day that your father will never forget. And who knows, you may just catch the gardening bug while you’re out there as well!

Take care all…and Happy Father’s Day,

I wrote this post with Monrovia for their Grow Beautifully blog. As you are probably aware,  Monrovia grows the healthiest plants for you to create outdoor spaces that will thrive for years. Their amazing Grow Beautifully blog features everything you’ll need to enjoy a beautiful garden, including gardening how-to’s, design tips, and much more.